South African authorities will make "an exception" for honeymoon murder-accused Shrien Dewani by allowing him mainstream mental health treatment instead of sending him to a forensic unit, a London court heard on Tuesday.
The British Press Association reported that psychiatrist Dr Ian Cumming told the Westminster Magistrate's Court that he had visited the country and had been reassured that Dewani would be admitted to a general ward at Valkenberg Hospital in Cape Town, rather than a unit where people were sent by the courts.
"They were going to make an exception for Mr Dewani. He would probably be the first person that they would do that for," Cumming said.
Dewani, 33, is accused of orchestrating the death of his 28-year-old wife Anni, who was shot as the couple travelled in a taxi on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010.
He is facing extradition to South Africa to stand trial for her murder, in which he denies any involvement.
Previously Dewani's lawyers expressed concerns that he would be a high suicide risk if he returned to the country, and his human rights could be breached because of the risk of violent and sexual assaults in jail, and of contracting HIV and Aids.
The South African authorities have said that if he was found not to be mentally ill, he would be given a single cell in prison to reduce the risk of attack.
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