LATEST NEWS ON DEWANI MURDER

POPPY1 wrote:

pennylane wrote:Thanks doc,

"Vyas told the Bristol Evening Post: “Why does he have to go there for a trial? In South Africa you can buy anything, including the law. "


Well it certainly sounds like a win win for Mr Dewani then!

Unfrigging believable, but where have we seen all this hysteria before

and which couple hired an extradition lawyer who defended the mass murderer Pinochet

docmac wrote:It's getting a little hot in the kitchen as Thursday gets ever closer...

"Shrien, you'll die in SA"

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/shrien-you-ll-die-in-sa-1.1012475

'Shrien was acting so strangely, not like the other honeymooners', says holidaymaker who snapped Dawanis (sic) on safari

docmac wrote:

'Shrien was acting so strangely, not like the other honeymooners', says holidaymaker who snapped Dawanis (sic) on safari

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347768/Shrien-Dewani-acting-strangely-like-honeymooners-says-South-African-holiday-maker-snapped-Dawanis-safari.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

The holidaymaker makes some rather startling claims about Shrien's behaviour towards his new bride. Very worrying, if true.

It has been reported elsewhere that one of SA's top cops, Mike Barkhuizen, is in the UK working with Scotland Yard detectives preparing the extradition application. This man has a stellar reputation in South Africa. The last thing a criminal wants to hear is that this gent is on the case. Dewani doesn't know what's going to hit him!

But she claimed that when she phoned Mr Dewani to offer her condolences, she was puzzled by his response. She said: ‘I told him, “I’m really sorry about Anni”, but all he said was, “It’s been a total disaster from start to finish”. I thought it was an odd thing to say and I couldn’t understand how calm he was. I thought, “This man doesn’t sound upset”.’

AnnaEsse wrote:

But she claimed that when she phoned Mr Dewani to offer her condolences, she was puzzled by his response. She said: ‘I told him, “I’m really sorry about Anni”, but all he said was, “It’s been a total disaster from start to finish”. I thought it was an odd thing to say and I couldn’t understand how calm he was. I thought, “This man doesn’t sound upset”.’

A total disaster? Familiar words!

The husband of a woman murdered on honeymoon in South Africa is not ruling out a negotiated return to the country to stand trial, the BBC has learned.

Shrien Dewani, 31, from Bristol, has so far been resisting extradition.

Mr Dewani, of Westbury-on-Trym, is on bail after being arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder his wife Anni, who was shot in Cape Town in November.

Family friend Hasmukh Shah told Inside Out West that Mr Dewani would consider returning under certain conditions.

They include being guaranteed bail up to the point of final appeal, if one is needed.

[...

docmac wrote:The full story features on Inside Out West on BBC One in the west of England at 1930 GMT on Monday and on BBC1 HD across the rest of the UK.

The programme will also be available in the UK on the BBC's iPlayer for seven days.

I can't watch this! Can someone do it for me and report back? Pretty please?

The Famous Grouse wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

But she claimed that when she phoned Mr Dewani to offer her condolences, she was puzzled by his response. She said: ‘I told him, “I’m really sorry about Anni”, but all he said was, “It’s been a total disaster from start to finish”. I thought it was an odd thing to say and I couldn’t understand how calm he was. I thought, “This man doesn’t sound upset”.’

A total disaster? Familiar words!

Were there any police manuals in his hand luggage, perchance?

fred wrote:I hate the bloody word "ludicrious" with a vengeance.

margaret wrote:

fred wrote:I hate the bloody word "ludicrious" with a vengeance.

Me too Fred. The Mcs have overused it l think of them everytime l hear it.

docmac wrote:The full story features on Inside Out West on BBC One in the west of England at 1930 GMT on Monday and on BBC1 HD across the rest of the UK.

The programme will also be available in the UK on the BBC's iPlayer for seven days.

I can't watch this! Can someone do it for me and report back? Pretty please?

Chris wrote:

docmac wrote:The full story features on Inside Out West on BBC One in the west of England at 1930 GMT on Monday and on BBC1 HD across the rest of the UK.

The programme will also be available in the UK on the BBC's iPlayer for seven days.

I can't watch this! Can someone do it for me and report back? Pretty please?

Just to say as of this post it has yet to appear on iPlayer. Oddly it seems the only regional programme for today not even showing as "coming soon" yet.

docmac wrote:

Chris wrote:

docmac wrote:The full story features on Inside Out West on BBC One in the west of England at 1930 GMT on Monday and on BBC1 HD across the rest of the UK.

The programme will also be available in the UK on the BBC's iPlayer for seven days.

I can't watch this! Can someone do it for me and report back? Pretty please?

Just to say as of this post it has yet to appear on iPlayer. Oddly it seems the only regional programme for today not even showing as "coming soon" yet.

Thank you for the update Chris. Hopefully it will appear soon enough. I only get the local opinions on this on TV and would really like to know how this is being 'approached' on that end. Appreciated.

Last on
17/01/2011

More:programme information
Broadcast yesterday, 19:30 on BBC One (HD, West only) but not available on BBC iPlayer.

A special investigation into the murder of Anni Dewani on her honeymoon.

mumbles wrote:I know why Shrien Dewani 'killed his bride,' claims South African police chief

By Dan Newling
Last updated at 2:12 PM on 18th January 2011

* Comments (7)
* Add to My Stories

South Africa’s chief of police has claimed that his detectives have uncovered a motive which explains why British businessman Shrien Dewani allegedly killed his bride while on honeymoon in Cape Town.

General Bheki Cele told the country’s e.tv news channel that his officers now know why Mr Dewani commissioned two hitmen to kill his wife Anni Dewani on November 13th last year.

However, the commissioner refused to say what the motive was, instead saying that it will be revealed at an extradition hearing scheduled to take place in London this Thursday.

Anni Dewani, 28, was killed in November last year after the taxi she and her husband were travelling in was hijacked as it passed through a dirt poor township outside Cape Town.

Although four South Africans have been arrested in connection with the crime – and one sentenced to 18 years in jail – the country’s police insist the plot was 'masterminded' by Dewani himself.

Mr Dewani, who is currently on bail in Britain, denies all involvement.

His supporters point out that the South Africans have failed to provide even a flimsy motive which would explain why he allegedly killed his wife.

They also claim that the South Africans' naming of Mr Dewani as a suspect is a ploy to detract attention from the country's appalling crime rate.

General Cele is a controversial, outspoken figure in South Africa.

A career politician, he had no policing experience before taking on the top cop's role last year.

Four days after Anni Dewani was killed he insisted that Mr Dewani was 'not a suspect' in the case. He later admitted that he had been lying.

And a matter of days after Mr Dewani was formally named as a suspect, the policeman described him as 'a monkey who came all the way from London to murder his wife'.

The commissioner's comments are likely to be used by Shrien Dewani’s defence team as evidence that he would not get a fair trial in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the case’s senior detective Lieutenant Colonel Mark Barkhuizen is currently in London, where has reportedly asked British police to help his investigation.

Tlali Tlali, spokesman for South Africa’s Ministry of Justice, described the murder case against as a 'puzzle', the pieces of which the country’s detectives are still putting together.

He said: 'The idea here is to put pieces of the puzzle together and be able to present a watertight case in court, should Mr Dewani be extradited to SA to stand trial.'

He went on to reveal that South Africa has requested 'mutual legal assistance' from the British authorities, explaining: 'We have a reason to believe that there are leads to be pursued there [in the UK] that could help us put pieces of the puzzle together.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1348250/I-know-Shrien-Dewani-killed-bride-claims-South-African-police-chief.html#ixzz1BOho8G8W

Chris wrote:Inside Out West – runtime about 28mins – broad summary
A fair bit of it was given over to the reporter going through the background, education, marriage (lots of video shots of happy dancing etc) and family friends – “so much in love” followed by the honeymoon.

Apparently SA chosen for honeymoon because of “S”hrien and “A”nni (bet you never knew that!)

Recap of events leading up to death and Tongo confession. Family friend’s comments only missing “ludicrous”.

Interview with local journalist about hiring hit men. Took him 24 hours to get one but claims it would take a week or two to arrange a hit. Cost between R15,000-50,000. (seems Dewani went for the bucket shop end if he arranged hit)

Black market exchange for claimed “pay-off” innocent – all tourists do it according to family friend.
Copies of claimed texts between Tongo and Dewani in the car (about money) apparently held by police. Family friend – wholly innocent explanation (not given).
Pay-off to Tongo in hotel. Family friend – wholly innocent explanation (paying fare).

Police – no sexual assault. Dewani family apparently claim otherwise.

Bit about SA need to put it to bed because of tourism. Couple of local commentators not supporting the suggestion.

Pleasingly brief appearance by Max and not enough time to even get ludicrous into comments.

Longish bit on “fair trial” with former SA judge Paul Hoffman basically saying fair trial unlikely on basis of 2008 Criminal Justice review. Also comments about Chief of Police being made to look foolish (Dewani allowed to fly home then made suspect). Judge acceptance of confession and plea bargain made with unseeming haste. Conditions in SA jails – rapists with HIV/AIDS.

Brief comment from Justice Minister – courts independent and everyone entitled to fair trial.

Suggestion confessions of Tongo and his mate extracted by torture (plastic bag over head).

Family friend – voluntary return not ruled out with conditions for bail up to final appeal if required and no plastic bag over head (he actually said that!).

Brief comment by Anni’s uncle that Dewani should return and face the court.

Overall some balance but I would say weighted in favour of Dewani because of extensive use of family friends to make claims which were not really questioned and pretty damning comments by Hoffman.


ETA just googled Hoffman and it appears the Beeb knew exactly what answer he would give without the need to even interview him.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=131072

DA: Statement by Dene Smuts, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of justice and constitutional development, supporting Minister Radebe in giving assurance of fair Dewani trial (13/01/2011)

Published 13 Jan 2011
Article by: Bradley Dubbelman

The official opposition supports Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, who has expressed confidence that Mr Shrien Dewani will get a fair trial in South Africa. The South African Constitution and judiciary are respected for good reason. The Dewani camp and its publicity agents are self-evidently attacking the prospects of a fair trial for self-serving purposes.

In these circumstances it is deplorable that a one-man local commentator like Paul Hoffman, who purports to speak for something called the Institute for Public Accountability in Southern Africa, joins so indefatigably and frequently in its efforts. On Monday in a lengthy opinion piece published by Business Day, he rubbished the entire Western Cape bench by suggesting that even if “the Judge President does not hear the case himself, it is still by or through him that the trial judge will be allocated”

T4two wrote:At the end of the day it is neither the BBC with or without Paul hoffman, nor Max Clifford, who decide whether Dewani is extradited, but the English courts. I found the following article extremely enlightening because it clearly explains the procedures and requirements for category 1 (EAWs) and Category 2 (S. Africa) extraditions. According to this article the Category 1 extradition of Assange for example will almost certainly result in his being handed over to the Swedish authorities quite soon and since there is apparently not a great deal of difference between Category 1 and Category 2 extraditions, a lot of people, not least Max Clifford and Dewani himself, could be in for a big surprise in due course.

Already posted on another thread but well worth repeating here.

http://www.channel4.com/news/uk-extradition-a-matter-of-trust

DETECTIVES have discovered Shrien Dewani’s motive for the ­honeymoon murder of his bride, it was claimed yesterday.

South Africa’s chief of police ­General Bheki Cele said in a TV interview that investigators knew why Mr Dewani, 31, allegedly took out a contract to kill his wife Anni.

The controversial police commissioner declined to reveal the alleged evidence but said it is set to emerge at an extradition hearing in London tomorrow.

Mr Dewani was said last night to be “deeply hurt” by the allegations.

The family declined to comment but his spokesman Max Clifford said: “Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? What chance does he have of a fair trial?

“This is the most powerful man in the South African police. This clearly demonstrates why we are concerned about what would ­happen to Shrien if he goes back to South Africa.

“What chance does he have of justice when the chief of police has condemned him?”

Supporters of the care home ­millionaire, who is on bail, have said the South Africans had failed to provide a reason which would explain why he allegedly killed his wife. They claim police targeted him to detract attention from the country’s appalling crime rate.

But General Cele told South ­Africa’s e.tv station: “We are very satisfied with the facts we have.

“Until we are out there in court, we can’t put out there what is our motive. We are having this hearing in the UK and if it needs to come out there, it will be fine. I don’t think it will be really proper for me to come out with a motive here.”

A police spokesman said: “We have a very strong case. We are confident we have everything we need for the ­extradition hearing.”

On Monday, family friend ­Hasmukh Shah said Mr Dewani was prepared to negotiate with the South Africans to try to solve the mystery of his wife’s ­killing. He may be willing to return on certain conditions, including being given bail to the point of final appeal, if one is needed, and freedom of movement to build a defence case.

General Cele is an outspoken ­figure, a career politician who had no policing experience before ­taking his post last year.

After Mr Dewani was named as a suspect, the policeman described him as a “monkey who came from London to kill his wife here”.

Mr Clifford said: “He has already branded Shrien a ‘murdering ­monkey’. Now he has tried and convicted him. You can understand why the family are so apprehensive about what awaits them if they go back to South Africa.”

The claim comes after friends of Mr Dewani said he was considering returning to voluntarily to stand trial over his wife’s death.

Swedish-born Anni, 28, was shot dead on November 13 when ­gunmen pounced as the couple were driven through a notorious township in Cape Town.

Mr Dewani, from Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, has repeatedly denied allegations he staged the kidnap and paid their driver Zola Tongo £1,400 to organise a hit.

kitti wrote:Why did he leave the country so quickly especially when they were starting to suspect him.

Where is her body, is it still in south Africa.