Close X
Monday, September 23, 2024
ADVT 
International

Freed Of Murder Charge, British-indian Businessman Shrien Dewani To Return Home

IANS, 09 Dec, 2014 12:48 PM
    An Indian-origin businessman from Britain, Shrien Dewani is preparing to leave South Africa after a judge cleared him of arranging the murder of his wife on their honeymoon, media reported Tuesday.
     
    Dewani, 33, was accused of ordering the murder of his wife, 28-year-old Anni Dewani, who was shot on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010 during the course of their honeymoon, BBC reported.
     
    On Monday, Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso of the Western Cape High Court dismissed the case against him, after describing evidence from prosecution witnesses as "riddled with contradictions".
     
    Anni's family said they were heartbroken that the case was dismissed before Dewani testified.
     
    "We feel as a family that the justice system has failed us and we are deeply disappointed," Anni's sister Ami Denborg said.
     
    "We came here looking for answers and we came here looking for the truth, and all we got was more questions."
     
    "We would have preferred to have known about his secret sex life with male prostitutes and the activities he engaged in before he married Anni," Denborg said referring to Dewani's admission in court that he was bi-sexual.
     
    Judge Traverso said claims by the chief prosecution witness, cab driver Zola Tongo, about the murder were "riddled with contradictions", "highly debatable" and the evidence from the prosecution was "far below" the required threshold.
     
    Three men - Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and gunman Xolile Mngeni - have already been convicted for their part in the murder, which happened during a late-night tour of a township when their chauffeur-driven car was hijacked.
     
    Dewani was in South Africa as he was extradited from Britain in April to stand trial for Anni's murder.
     
    He faced five counts, including kidnapping, murder, and defeating the ends of justice, and has pleaded not guilty to all of them.
     
    He has maintained that he and his wife were the victims of a hijacking Nov 13, 2010.
     
    Dewani was thrown out of the car later that night and Anni's body was found the next day with a single gun shot wound on her neck.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Imran Khan supporters clash over Eid gifts

    Imran Khan supporters clash over Eid gifts
    Clashes were witnessed among protesting activists of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad over distribution of Eid gifts, Geo...

    Imran Khan supporters clash over Eid gifts

    Eight shot dead outside Colombian city

    Eight shot dead outside Colombian city
    The massacre occurred Friday night on a property in Pance town, where the bodies were found with their hands tied and shot in the head...

    Eight shot dead outside Colombian city

    Nikki Haley has 10 point lead in South Carolina governor's race

    Nikki Haley has 10 point lead in  South Carolina governor's race
    South Carolina's Indian-American Republican governor Nikki Haley has a 10 point lead over her Democratic challenger and state Senator Vincent Sheheen in the governor's race, according to a new poll.

    Nikki Haley has 10 point lead in South Carolina governor's race

    US awards for India-born Stanford scientist, scholar

    US awards for India-born Stanford scientist, scholar
     India-born scientist Arogyaswami Joseph Paulraj and mathematics scholar Himanshu Asnani at Standford University in the Silicon Valley have been awarded prizes by the Marconi Society in Washington

    US awards for India-born Stanford scientist, scholar

    Malaysia Sikhs lodge report against offensive online comment

    Malaysia Sikhs lodge report against offensive online comment
    Police are investigating reports lodged by members of Malaysia's Sikh community against a Facebook user for posting an offensive comment against the...

    Malaysia Sikhs lodge report against offensive online comment

    Six killed, 12 injured in Pakistan van blast

    Six killed, 12 injured in Pakistan van blast
    At least six people were killed and 12 injured Saturday when a blast occurred in a passenger van in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkwa province, Geo News reported....

    Six killed, 12 injured in Pakistan van blast