Promise of money was too tempting: Tongo

30 October 2014 - 14:37 By Philani Nombembe
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SHORT-LIVED: Shrien and Anni Dewani on honeymoon
SHORT-LIVED: Shrien and Anni Dewani on honeymoon
Image: Sunday Times.

A verbal undertaking for help to expand an illegal shuttle business and a promise of a measly R5 000 was enough to instantly turn Zola Tongo into a murderer.

Tongo, who drove UK businessman Shrien Dewani and his newlywed wife Anni during their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010, is the state’s key witness. Tongo implicated Dewani in Anni’s murder.

He said Dewani asked him to find hitmen to kill Anni and that he was prepared to pay to R15 000.

Tongo has told the court on his fourth day on the stand that although he had never organised for someone to be killed before, the promise for a better business opportunity and money was were too tempting.

He claims that Dewani said he would pay him R5 000 for organising the hitmen and that he would market his business overseas. Dewani’s counsel, Francios van Zyl, asked him way he did not just walk away from the crime.

“It was because of the promises he [Dewani] made. He said he would market my business overseas,” said Tongo.

At the time of Anni’s murder, Tongo was moonlighting as a shuttle operator. However, he did not have a permit to do this business.

Tongo maintains that he hired Xolile Mngeni, who died in prison last week, and Mziwamadoda Qwabe to carry out the hit.

Anni was found dead at the back of Tongo’s abandoned car in Khayelitsha on the morning of November 14, 2010. Tongo and Qwabe turned state witnesses. They are serving long prison sentences.

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