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| Anni Dewani murder: gunman found guilty | Anni Dewani murder: gunman found guilty |
| (5 months later) | |
| Shrien Dewani's battle to avoid extradition to South Africa to stand trial for allegedly masterminding his wife's murder has suffered a setback after the gunman in the case was found guilty by the Western Cape high court. | Shrien Dewani's battle to avoid extradition to South Africa to stand trial for allegedly masterminding his wife's murder has suffered a setback after the gunman in the case was found guilty by the Western Cape high court. |
| Xolile Mngeni, 25, was convicted of robbing Anni Dewani during her honeymoon and killing her with a single shot from an unlicensed weapon in a Cape township two years ago. | Xolile Mngeni, 25, was convicted of robbing Anni Dewani during her honeymoon and killing her with a single shot from an unlicensed weapon in a Cape township two years ago. |
| In his summing up, the judge, Robert Henney, stressed that the case did not include "any direct evidence about Mr Dewani's involvement". | In his summing up, the judge, Robert Henney, stressed that the case did not include "any direct evidence about Mr Dewani's involvement". |
| Nevertheless, the three-month trial that preceded Mngeni's conviction on Monday marked the first time evidence in the case had come before an open court. | Nevertheless, the three-month trial that preceded Mngeni's conviction on Monday marked the first time evidence in the case had come before an open court. |
| Two other suspects in the killing – the taxi driver Zola Tongo and Mngeni's accomplice Mziwamadoda Qwabe – have both gone to jail after confessing under the plea bargain system and implicating Dewani. | Two other suspects in the killing – the taxi driver Zola Tongo and Mngeni's accomplice Mziwamadoda Qwabe – have both gone to jail after confessing under the plea bargain system and implicating Dewani. |
| Anni Dewani, 28, had been married for 12 days when she was killed on 13 November 2010 in an apparent car hijacking in Khayelitsha township. | Anni Dewani, 28, had been married for 12 days when she was killed on 13 November 2010 in an apparent car hijacking in Khayelitsha township. |
| Shrien Dewani said he escaped after he and Tongo were thrown out of the vehicle. | Shrien Dewani said he escaped after he and Tongo were thrown out of the vehicle. |
| Dewani, 32, is in poor mental health and is being kept at a secure hospital near Bristol. He is resisting extradition and his case is due to be heard again next month. | Dewani, 32, is in poor mental health and is being kept at a secure hospital near Bristol. He is resisting extradition and his case is due to be heard again next month. |
| Mngeni – who will be sentenced later – had pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. | Mngeni – who will be sentenced later – had pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. |
| But Henney called Mngeni's alibi for 13 November 2010 "without foundation and easy to dismiss". He said Mngeni had pointed out key locations to the police – including where Anni Dewani was shot. | But Henney called Mngeni's alibi for 13 November 2010 "without foundation and easy to dismiss". He said Mngeni had pointed out key locations to the police – including where Anni Dewani was shot. |
| The judge said he had lied to the court and his lawyer had given a "far-fetched and highly speculative version" of how Anni Dewani's jewellery had ended up in the roof of a house where Mngeni had stayed. The judge said Mngeni's dismissal of witnesses who had testified against him was "childish, laughable and unconvincing". | The judge said he had lied to the court and his lawyer had given a "far-fetched and highly speculative version" of how Anni Dewani's jewellery had ended up in the roof of a house where Mngeni had stayed. The judge said Mngeni's dismissal of witnesses who had testified against him was "childish, laughable and unconvincing". |
| Mngeni had claimed that his initial confession in the case had been extracted under torture. But Henney said he was satisfied that "police acted with utmost professionalism and fairness" to safeguard his rights. | Mngeni had claimed that his initial confession in the case had been extracted under torture. But Henney said he was satisfied that "police acted with utmost professionalism and fairness" to safeguard his rights. |
| Henney found Mngeni guilty of all charges except kidnapping, acquitting him of the charge as he said the hijack was part of the murder plan and not a separate crime. | Henney found Mngeni guilty of all charges except kidnapping, acquitting him of the charge as he said the hijack was part of the murder plan and not a separate crime. |
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