Author Topic: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court  (Read 59955 times)

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Offline Passer-by

Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« on: August 30, 2015, 01:48:22 AM »
Inquest resumed


Shrien Dewani now set to face public questions for the first time over wife Anni's death in South Africa as UK inquest finally resumes

The husband of honeymoon murder victim Anni Dewani is expected to be publicly questioned for the first time when her inquest resumes next month.

Shrien Dewani, 35, was last year cleared of Anni's murder, but to the dismay of her family did not have to testify in court. Her father Vinod Hindocha is hopeful that coroner Andrew Walker will now call the businessman as a witness.

'There are so many unanswered questions that need to be put to [Dewani],' Mr Hindocha told The Mail on Sunday. 'This will be our last chance to find out what really happened. It's our last shot at justice.'

Mr Walker is due to decide on the scope of the inquest at a hearing on September 9.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3215639/Shrien-Dewani-set-face-questions-public-Anni-murder-Inquest-death-woman-killed-South-African-honeymoon-resumes-month.html

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« Last Edit: September 10, 2015, 12:43:32 AM by Admin »

Offline Myster

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2015, 06:52:10 AM »
Uh-oh!!... time to switch into PTSD and severe depression mode again.  8(8-))   
It's one of them cases, in'it... one of them f*ckin' cases.

Offline Eleanor

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015, 06:58:34 AM »

Well, since it appears that he can't be forced to answer questions, and the convicted parties won't be appearing, this seems a bit pointless.
We all know that she was murdered, but I don't think it is the place of an inquest to decide if an acquitted person is actually guilty.

I do feel sorry for her family, but I don't think he was guilty, on balance of what I read about the trial.

Offline Eleanor

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2015, 08:05:37 AM »
He's tarred with the same scheming deceitful brush as Bamber and Pistorius!... in my not so humble opinion.

I am doubtful about Bamber's guilt and that of Pistorious, but Dewani was acquitted.  And since when was it a good idea to  offer a defendant a deal in return for implicating another defendant?

South Africa is a lawless place these days, if it was ever anything else.  Just different regimes.  Frying Pan and Fire come to mind.

But an Inquest in Britain?  For what purpose?  Annie Dewani's parents are understandably upset.  But this crime happened in South Africa.  It is over.  Pursuing it can only cause them more grief.

Offline Passer-by

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2015, 01:03:43 PM »
Because she lived in North London, and a North London Coroner has to conduct an inquiry into how she died.  An Inquest doesn't 'blame' anyone, it determines cause of death.  The Coroner can summon witnesses but they can refuse to give evidence if it might implicate them.  This makes it a lot harder for Dewani to refuse to give evidence, as the only eye-witness to the crime, yet also maintain his innocence.  In South Africa he claimed he wouldn't get a fair trial and refused to give evidence because there was no case to answer (because the prosecution made such a hash of the job and because the judge controversially ruled some of the evidence she was willing to hear as inadmissible). 

I'm sure he is able to relate the same story without incriminating himself as he wont get a rough cross examination.  I bet the Daily Fail body language experts will be out in force though!
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 03:14:51 PM by John »

Offline Carbon Copy

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2015, 07:54:01 PM »
Uh-oh!!... time to switch into PTSD and severe depression mode again.  8(8-))

I don't think symptoms of PTSD and severe depression are the type of things that you can switch on and off at will.

Offline Carbon Copy

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2015, 08:02:22 PM »
Well, since it appears that he can't be forced to answer questions, and the convicted parties won't be appearing, this seems a bit pointless.
We all know that she was murdered, but I don't think it is the place of an inquest to decide if an acquitted person is actually guilty.

I do feel sorry for her family, but I don't think he was guilty, on balance of what I read about the trial.

It does seem a bit pointless since the cause of death has already been determined as being a gunshot wound through the neck and the only other persons present were Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe.  Mngeni died of brain cancer and Qwabe resides in a South African jail after having perjured himself at both trials he has testified at. 

I also feel sorry for the family not least because they must be receiving some pretty questionable legal advice if they're pinning their hopes on the coroner somehow ruling anything different than the SA court.



Offline Passer-by

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2015, 02:42:21 AM »
It does seem a bit pointless since the cause of death has already been determined as being a gunshot wound through the neck and the only other persons present were Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe.  Mngeni died of brain cancer and Qwabe resides in a South African jail after having perjured himself at both trials he has testified at. 

I also feel sorry for the family not least because they must be receiving some pretty questionable legal advice if they're pinning their hopes on the coroner somehow ruling anything different than the SA court.

It has nothing to do with her family:  it's an administrative process carried out by the British Government.

Offline dewanifacts

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2015, 06:45:23 PM »
This makes it a lot harder for Dewani to refuse to give evidence, as the only eye-witness to the crime, yet also maintain his innocence.

The statement above is wrong on so many levels.

Shrien Dewani was a victim of the crime not a witness. Even if one does not accept that Shrien Dewani was a victim, it is common cause fact that he was not present when Anni died, so he cannot possibly provide any answers as to the circumstances surrounding Qwabe shooting her.

The inquest promises to be of some interest, particularly if Shrien chooses to answer questions regarding why he didn't mention the helicopter or the money in his police statement, although I fear that those topics will be well beyond the scope of a coronial inquest and that such questions probably won't even be allowed to be asked let alone answered.

I predict that all we will see is Shrien Dewani repeat what he has already told the family and explained in his plea statement with regard to why they visited Gugulethu and how he exited the vehicle. These seem to be the two issues that concern the Hindocha family. The problem for them is that Shrien's explanation is entirely plausible and not contradicted by the objective evidence so the inquest will have no option but to accept it.

« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 03:17:02 PM by John »

Offline mercury

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2015, 09:21:45 PM »
The statement above is wrong on so many levels.

Shrien Dewani was a victim of the crime not a witness. Even if one does not accept that Shrien Dewani was a victim, it is common cause fact that he was not present when Anni died, so he cannot possibly provide any answers as to the circumstances surrounding Qwabe shooting her.

The inquest promises to be of some interest, particularly if Shrien chooses to answer questions regarding why he didn't mention the helicopter or the money in his police statement, although I fear that those topics will be well beyond the scope of a coronial inquest and that such questions probably won't even be allowed to be asked let alone answered.

I predict that all we will see is Shrien Dewani repeat what he has already told the family and explained in his plea statement with regard to why they visited Gugulethu and how he exited the vehicle. These seem to be the two issues that concern the Hindocha family. The problem for them is that Shrien's explanation is entirely plausible and not contradicted by the objective evidence so the inquest will have no option but to accept it.

SD may not have "witnessed the actual shooting" but he certainly was a witness as far as most things go...he was there at the time though not at the specific time of death...if his testimony was not important it wouldn't be asked for surely
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 03:18:42 PM by John »

Offline Passer-by

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2015, 10:15:03 PM »
The statement above is wrong on so many levels.

Shrien Dewani was a victim of the crime not a witness. Even if one does not accept that Shrien Dewani was a victim, it is common cause fact that he was not present when Anni died, so he cannot possibly provide any answers as to the circumstances surrounding Qwabe shooting her.

What gibberish:  he was in a car for 40 minutes driving around with the 2 murderes/hijackers in clear line of sight, he was ejected from the car by them, immediately before they killed his wife:  he is patently an eye-witness in this crime.  Methinks you doth protest too much! 

Remember you were saying how unfair it was that he didn't get to take the witness stand?  Well this will be his big chance.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 03:19:36 PM by John »

Offline Passer-by

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2015, 10:19:00 PM »
I predict that all we will see is Shrien Dewani repeat what he has already told the family and explained in his plea statement with regard to why they visited Gugulethu and how he exited the vehicle.

Er no:  I 'predicted' that 2 days ago, above - you are merely agreeing with me.

Offline dewanifacts

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2015, 11:07:11 PM »
..if his testimony was not important it wouldn't be asked for surely

Correct. That is why his testimony wasn't needed or required in his own trial. His testimony has taken on some importance due to a fabricated story designed to implicate him. Were it not for that fanciful tale, Dewani would be thought of as simply another victim and it would never have occurred to the Hindocha family to look to him to provide the answers that they quite understandably crave.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2015, 11:21:40 PM by dewanifacts »

Offline Passer-by

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2015, 11:23:10 PM »
Correct. That is why his testimony wasn't needed or required in his own trial. His testimony has taken on some importance due to fabricated story designed to implicate him. We're it not for that fanciful tale, Dewani would be thought of as simply another victim and it would never have occurred to the Hindocha family to look to him to provide the answers that they quite understandably crave.

NOT correct.  The prosecution did not form a viable case so his lawyer advised him it would be against his interests to give evidence in case he incriminated himself.  This decision reinforced the expressed opinion from the start that he wouldn't get a fair trial.  Dewani's whole defence was to leave it to the prosecution to prove his guilt, which his lawyer realised it would fail to do.  It is incorrect to say his evidence was not important that's why he didn't have to give evidence:  not giving evidence was a device used by his lawyer.  In some circumstances that can be a very risky thing to do - I once read of a man whose lawyer thought it was so clear his client was innocent he offered no defence - and the man was hanged.

In Dewani's case the judge herself said many questions were left "unanswered".

Offline dewanifacts

Re: Dewani May Take The Stand In A British Court
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2015, 11:34:24 PM »
NOT correct.  The prosecution did not form a viable case so his lawyer advised him it would be against his interests to give evidence in case he incriminated himself.  This decision reinforced the expressed opinion from the start that he wouldn't get a fair trial.  Dewani's whole defence was to leave it to the prosecution to prove his guilt, which his lawyer realised it would fail to do.  It is incorrect to say his evidence was not important that's why he didn't have to give evidence:  not giving evidence was a device used by his lawyer.  In some circumstances that can be a very risky thing to do - I once read of a man whose lawyer thought it was so clear his client was innocent he offered no defence - and the man was hanged.

More gross misinformation. Since you have stated this numerous times, I will correct you. There is no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that Dewani's lawyer advised him that he should not give evidence.

The trial was stopped before such a decision had to be made, in fact it was stopped before the defence even had to make a case. Had the trial continued, its possible Dewani would have testified. Neither you, nor I nor anyone else can claim to know with certainty what his lawyer may have advised.