Murdered Anni’s family to speak out

The family of honeymoon murder victim Anni Dewani is due to call a press conference today as reports in South Africa suggest the trial of her widower is on the verge of collapse.

Anni’s brother Anish is expected to speak on behalf of the grieving family, three days after the Hindochas broke their silence on discussing the case.

It comes as judge Jeanette Traverso is due to decide on Monday whether to throw out the case against Shrien Dewani, following an application from the defence that the prosecution’s argument was weak, inconsistent, and based on the testimony of unreliable witnesses.

The Hindochas, who have travelled from their home in Sweden to sit through each day’s evidence since the case began at the Western Cape High Court two months ago, said this week they would not have let Anni marry British millionaire Dewani four years ago if they had known he was bisexual.

Dewani, age 34, is on trial for allegedly plotting with cab driver Zola Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, and gunman Xolile Mngeni to kill Anni while they were on their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.

He denies all charges including kidnapping, murder, and defeating the ends of justice.

Dewani claims the couple were hijacked as Tongo was driving them through Gugulethu in his minibus. He was released unharmed and Anni was driven away. She was found shot dead in the abandoned minibus in Khayelitsha the next day.

The State alleges Dewani, who said he had sex with male prostitutes, wanted out of his marriage to Anni and conspired with others to stage the hijacking for which he paid 15,000 rand — less than £1,000 (€1,260) at the 2010 exchange rate.

Bristol businessman Dewani maintains the money was paid because Tongo helped him to organise a surprise helicopter trip for Anni. Dewani may be cleared to return to England on Monday without ever going into the witness box.

Tongo is serving an 18-year jail term while Qwabe is part-way through a 25-year jail term. Mngeni was serving life for firing the shot that killed Anni, but died in prison from a brain tumour on October 18.

Earlier this week, in an interview with Mail Online, Anni’s mother Nilam Hindocha said: “If I knew Shrien was gay or bisexual, I would never have allowed Anni to get married.

“It was a false wedding because of who he really was... Anni would never have married Shrien if she knew the truth that he was bisexual or gay. She would never have accepted it. We never had any idea that he was or had been sleeping with gay prostitutes.”