Author Topic: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.  (Read 8397 times)

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Offline John

Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« on: April 12, 2014, 07:03:19 PM »
Shrien Dewani: Clean shaven, suited and ready for court.

A smartly dressed Shrien Dewani leaves court in Cape Town - a far cry from his dishevelled appearance in the UK - as eyebrows are raised about the A-list treatment he has received.



Wearing a dark suit, tie and white shirt, a composed Shrien Dewani arrived for his first court hearing in South Africa today.

The 34-year-old's clean shaven and assured demeanour was in sharp contrast to recent images of him in the UK, where he appeared dishevelled with a long beard.

From the airport, Mr Dewani was ferried in a black Hyundai 4 x 4 with tinted windows to the Western Cape High Court, where he was taken in through a side entrance, away from the throng of journalists gathered outside.

Mr Dewani was then charged with murder in his cell, away from the court, where dozens more journalists were waiting.

The hearing itself lasted less than 10 minutes and the media was banned from taking pictures, in contrast to the televised trial of Oscar Pistorious in Pretoria.

The court heard from the state prosecutor and Mr Dewani's advocate, Francios Van Zyl, before judge president of the Western Cape province, John Hlope, ruled he should be remanded in a private room at the Valkenberg phyciatric hospital until May 12.

Addressing Mr Dewani, the judge said: "The matter has been adjourned until May 12 where it will be before this court following an agreement between the parties.

"It was agreed between the state and your defence counsel that you should be remanded at Valkenberg phyciatric hospital."

« Last Edit: August 21, 2014, 07:26:05 PM by John »
A malicious prosecution for a crime which never existed. An exposé of egregious malfeasance by public officials.
Indeed, the truth never changes with the passage of time.

Offline John

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 07:07:49 PM »
Mr Dewani appeared composed and started straight ahead when he stood in the dock.

However when asked by the judge if he understood, it appeared that Mr Dewani had to be prompted to say "yes" by his family, who were sat in front of the dock for the hearing.

Afterwards, his family said they were "looking forward to his name being cleared".

In a statement they said: "Shrien remains committed to proving his innocence in a court of law and uncovering the truth behind his wife's murder.

"We look forward to his health improving, his name being cleared and there being and end to this legal trauma for all involved."
Mr Dewani will remain in Valkenberg phyciatric hospital until his next hearing.

The psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Cape Town is a sprawling facility surrounded by 8ft electric fences.

It houses some of South Africa's most notorious killers and murderers but Mr Dewani will be given a private room.

He will be kept under 24 hour observation, with staff there reporting back to the court on whether or not he is fit to stand trial.

The South African authorities have agreed to send him back to the UK in 18 months if his deemed unfit because of his mental health.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/10752552/Shrien-Dewani-Clean-shaven-suited-and-ready-for-court.html
A malicious prosecution for a crime which never existed. An exposé of egregious malfeasance by public officials.
Indeed, the truth never changes with the passage of time.

Offline John

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 07:10:00 PM »


Dewani is driven away to Valkenberg phyciatric hospital after the hearing.
A malicious prosecution for a crime which never existed. An exposé of egregious malfeasance by public officials.
Indeed, the truth never changes with the passage of time.

Offline Anna

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2014, 08:23:19 PM »
« Last Edit: April 13, 2014, 01:54:27 AM by Anna »
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline Tim Invictus

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 01:13:41 AM »
Surely that quite useless reporter in the clip is wrong! She said Dewani's trial begins 12th May; my understanding is that is Dewani's next court appearance and a possible trial date has not even been considered yet!

Offline Anna

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 01:56:56 AM »
Surely that quite useless reporter in the clip is wrong! She said Dewani's trial begins 12th May; my understanding is that is Dewani's next court appearance and a possible trial date has not even been considered yet!

Sorry about that Tim. I have changed it for another news bulletin. Hope it has a better reporter
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline Tim Invictus

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2014, 02:04:06 PM »
Sorry about that Tim. I have changed it for another news bulletin. Hope it has a better reporter

No worries Anna ... it wasn't yr fault the reporter was talking boll**ks!  8)--))

Offline Mr Moderator

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2014, 10:40:28 AM »
The murder of Anni Dewani and that of Varkha Rani would appear to have the same motive arising from gay Indian/Sikh men marrying straight women and being found out.   Could this be something which happens regularly in India and has only now been imported into the UK?

Offline Tim Invictus

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2014, 12:50:43 AM »
The murder of Anni Dewani and that of Varkha Rani would appear to have the same motive arising from gay Indian/Sikh men marrying straight women and being found out.   Could this be something which happens regularly in India and has only now been imported into the UK?

I think everything happens regularly in India! With 1.25 billion souls and such a diverse society, anything goes in India! A quite amazing country!

Offline Anna

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2014, 11:41:10 PM »
Shrien Dewani

Panel of psychiatric experts give court the green light to try Shrien Dewani following mental health evaluation

LAST UPDATED AT 10:54 ON Fri 15 Aug 2014




Shrien Dewani, the British businessman accused of ordering his wife's murder on their honeymoon in South Africa, has been found fit to stand trial.

The 34-year-old, who has been receiving treatment at Valkenberg State Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Town, denies paying three men to kill his 28-year-old wife in the city in November 2010.

Following a 30-day mental health evaluation, similar to that undertaken by Oscar Pistorius, a panel of psychiatric experts have decided he is mentally fit to stand trial. The defence did not dispute the findings and a pre-trial hearing was set for 9 September. Dewani will be detained at Valkenberg hospital until then.

Here's what we know so far about the case and what to expect next...

What happened on 13 November 2010?

Newlywed couple Shrien and Anni Dewani were kidnapped at gunpoint at 11pm while being driven in a taxi through Gugulethu, a township near Cape Town, during their honeymoon. Shrien Dewani was released unharmed at midnight in the Harare neighbourhood, but Anni's body was found the next day on the back seat of the abandoned taxi. She had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to her neck.

Who shot Anni Dewani?

Xolile Mngeni, 23 at the time of the murder, was convicted in November 2012 of firing the shot that killed Anni. The judge described Mngeni, who suffered from a rare form of brain cancer, as an "evil person" and sentenced him to life in prison. Two other men – Zola Tongo, 31 at the time, and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 26 – were also convicted in connection to the murder. Tongo, the taxi driver who arranged the shooting, was jailed for 18 years, while Qwabe, Mngeni's accomplice, was jailed for 25 years.

What are the charges against Dewani?

Dewani is charged with five counts relating to the murder of his wife: conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice. Tongo alleges that Dewani offered him 15,000 rand to have his wife killed. But Dewani's family, who at one point enlisted the services of PR spin master Max Clifford, describe the allegations as "totally ludicrous".

Why has it taken so long for Dewani to be tried?

Dewani spent years fighting extradition to South Africa, with his lawyers claiming he suffered from acute stress disorder and depression. In March 2014, the High Court refused to allow any further appeal and the following month he arrived in South Africa. His wife's sister Ami Denborg said today's ruling was a "relief" for the family after waiting for so long. "I know this autumn is going to be tough for us, but we still want the trial to start so that we can get the information we need – we can get to know what really happened," she said. "It feels like we're moving forward. It's still a long way to go but at least we're taking steps in the right direction, and this feels like a huge step in the right direction."

How did Anni and Shrien Dewani meet?

Shrien Dewani, from Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol, was privately educated at Bristol Grammar School, studied economics at Manchester University and qualified as an accountant. He left a job at Deloitte in London to return to Bristol to help run his family firm, PSP Healthcare, which owns a number of care homes. Swedish-born Anni Hindocha was an engineering graduate and part-time model. She met Dewani while staying with her cousin Sneha in Britain in 2009. Dewani proposed the following year in June, flying Anni to Paris and giving her a £25,000 diamond engagement ring. They married in October in an extravagant Hindu wedding in Mumbai. Less than two weeks later, Anni was shot dead.

What can we expect from the trial?

The murder trial looks set to begin on 6 October. Here's what to expect:

Text messages: The court is likely to look at phone records and text messages between Dewani and Tongo, but also from Anni to her family. It has been claimed that Anni texted her cousin Sneha Hindocha a series of anguished texts in the run-up to her wedding, including one that said: "I don't want to marry him... I'm going to be unhappy for the rest of my life." Another report claimed that Anni had told her cousin that she had sex with Shrien five times in one night, but her family claim this is untrue.

CCTV and bank transactions: During the extradition appeal, Ben Watson, the British lawyer representing the South African government, claimed that Dewani had withdrawn £1,000 cash on his Mastercard before the murder. Watson said that CCTV footage also showed Dewani meeting Tongo several times before the murder, and again afterwards when they appear to exchange money. Dewani's family insists Dewani was innocently paying Tongo for his services as a taxi driver.

Dewani's finances: Accounts emerged showing that Dewani's company was £4.1 million in debt, reports the Daily Telegraph, but the company's auditors have made a statement to say it has "absolutely no cause for any concern with the trading position of the company, its funding strategy or its financial standing".

Witnesses: Qwabe and Tongo have agreed to testify against Dewani as part of their plea bargain. Some of Anni's relatives, including her cousin Sneha, are also likely to be called as witnesses. Leopold Leisser, a German escort based in the UK, may also appear as a witness for the state. He claims Dewani told him he needed to "find a way out of getting married" and that he would be "disowned" by his family if he attempted to break off his engagement. However, Dewani's family told The Independent there is clear evidence to refute Leisser's claims and also insisted there was no pre-nuptial agreement, no dowry and no pressure from the family to marry.


http://www.theweek.co.uk/crime/shrien-dewani/3997/shrien-dewani-fit-to-stand-trial-for-murder-what-next
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“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline John

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2014, 07:30:14 PM »
Shrien Dewani is mentally fit to stand trial for the murder of wife Anni, who was fatally shot while the couple honeymooned in South African in 2010, a Cape Town court has ruled.

Dewani's murder trial is set to begin 6 October, with a formal pre-trial hearing on 9 September 2014.  I wonder will this one be televised?
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 05:05:10 PM by John »
A malicious prosecution for a crime which never existed. An exposé of egregious malfeasance by public officials.
Indeed, the truth never changes with the passage of time.

Offline Wonderfulspam

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #11 on: August 21, 2014, 07:36:25 PM »
Shrien Dewani is mentally fit to stand trial for the murder of wife Anni, who was fatally shot while the couple honeymooned in South African in 2010, a Cape Town court has ruled.

Dewani's murder trial is set to begin 6 October, with a formal pre-trial hearing on 9 September 2014.  I wonder will this one be televised?

That would depend on how high profile the case is in SA, I'd a thought.

I hope it ain't, it took me ages to get through those Pistourios vids.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 05:06:24 PM by John »
I stand with Putin. Glory to Mother Putin.

Offline John

Re: Shrien Dewani makes first court appearance in Capetown, SA.
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2014, 05:19:38 PM »
Dewani makes pre-trial court appearance



9 September 2014





Two of the men serving lengthy jail terms for their role in the murder of Anni Dewani will testify in the trial of alleged murder mastermind Shrien Dewani.

The 34 year old businessman from Bristol in the UK appeared in the Western Cape High Court for a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday. He is alleged to have orchestrated the murder of his wife while the couple were on honeymoon in Cape Town, almost four years ago. The couple were allegedly hijacked in Gugulethu and Anni was shot and killed.

Following a lengthy extradition battle, Dewani arrived in Cape Town earlier this year.  He is being kept at Valkenberg psychiatric hospital where is currently undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Shrien Dewani appeared coherent and relaxed and listened attentively to proceedings in court. He was neatly dressed in a black suit and white shirt. His family were also present and flanked by members of the British High Commission.

Judge Robert Henney on Tuesday ordered attorney William da Grass to hand over his cell phone records and documentation to the defence. Dewani's legal counsel, Francois van Zyl had subpoenaed De Grass for the documents. He had represented Zola Tongo, who in his plea agreement with the state alleged that Shrien Dewani masterminded Anni's murder in November 2010 and offered to pay R15 000.  Da Grass submitted that he has not been able to take instruction from his client Tongo, about client- attorney privilege,  but the judge says as a state witness Tongo would during the trial, be required to answer questions pertaining to the documentation. Da Grass says the defence has requested detailed billing which he has to hand over before the 19th of September.

Shrien Dewani faces a number of charges including murder, kidnapping and obstructing the administration of justice.


The court also asked the investigating officer, Paul Hendrickse, to facilitate the request by Dewani's counsel for records and documentation pertaining to Zola Tongo and Mziwamadoda Qwabe to be made available to the defense.  Both will testify for the state. 
Qwabe is serving 25 years for his role in the murder.

Dewani's counsel says they will hand in a list of admissions before the trial commences on October the 6th.     

Last month, the court heard that Dewani was fit to stand trial.  He faces a number of charges including murder, kidnapping and obstructing the administration of justice.

Dewani will go on trial on October 6.

www.sabc.co.za/news/a/7f29db804568c14883a1a7c7c599c9eb/Dewani-makes-pre-trial-court-appearance-
« Last Edit: September 26, 2014, 05:22:57 PM by John »
A malicious prosecution for a crime which never existed. An exposé of egregious malfeasance by public officials.
Indeed, the truth never changes with the passage of time.