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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Anni Dewani murder: Xolile Mngeni gets life | Anni Dewani murder: Xolile Mngeni gets life |
| (30 days later) | |
| A South African judge has sentenced the gunman in the 2010 honeymoon murder of a Swedish bride to life in prison, describing him as "a merciless and evil person" who deserved the maximum punishment. | A South African judge has sentenced the gunman in the 2010 honeymoon murder of a Swedish bride to life in prison, describing him as "a merciless and evil person" who deserved the maximum punishment. |
| Prosecutors say the newlywed's British husband orchestrated the November 2010 killing. | Prosecutors say the newlywed's British husband orchestrated the November 2010 killing. |
| Judge Robert Henney did not hold back his contempt while sentencing Xolile Mngeni for the killing of 28-year-old Anni Dewani. Henney said the gunman showed no remorse. | Judge Robert Henney did not hold back his contempt while sentencing Xolile Mngeni for the killing of 28-year-old Anni Dewani. Henney said the gunman showed no remorse. |
| "He had no regard to her right to freedom, dignity, and totally disregarded and showed no respect to her right to life by brutally killing her with utter disdain," Henney said. | "He had no regard to her right to freedom, dignity, and totally disregarded and showed no respect to her right to life by brutally killing her with utter disdain," Henney said. |
| Mngeni, who had surgery to remove a brain tumour while facing trial, at times sat with his face resting on the bannister of the dock on top of his crossed arms. Members of Dewani's family wore black clothes with pictures of the young woman pinned above their left breasts. | Mngeni, who had surgery to remove a brain tumour while facing trial, at times sat with his face resting on the bannister of the dock on top of his crossed arms. Members of Dewani's family wore black clothes with pictures of the young woman pinned above their left breasts. |
| In August, Mngeni's alleged accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, pleaded guilty to charges over the killing, receiving a 25-year prison sentence. Zola Tongo, the taxi driver whom police say husband Shrien Dewani asked to plot the killing, earlier received an 18-year prison sentence. Both Tongo and Qwabe have said Dewani wanted it to look as if he was not involved his wife's murder and they planned to have the attack look like a carjacking in Cape Town's impoverished Gugulethu township. | In August, Mngeni's alleged accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, pleaded guilty to charges over the killing, receiving a 25-year prison sentence. Zola Tongo, the taxi driver whom police say husband Shrien Dewani asked to plot the killing, earlier received an 18-year prison sentence. Both Tongo and Qwabe have said Dewani wanted it to look as if he was not involved his wife's murder and they planned to have the attack look like a carjacking in Cape Town's impoverished Gugulethu township. |
| The men were paid 15,000 rand (£1,300) for the killing, Qwabe and prosecutors have said. | The men were paid 15,000 rand (£1,300) for the killing, Qwabe and prosecutors have said. |
| In a statement provided as part of his plea deal, Qwabe said that after he and Mngeni staged a fake carjacking, he drove the car as Mngeni kept a 7.62mm pistol pointed at Anni Dewani in the backseat and then pulled the trigger, the fatal shot going through her neck. Panicked, Qwabe said he stopped the car and got out, helping Mngeni find the spent bullet casing. He threw the casing into a sewer as they ran away. | In a statement provided as part of his plea deal, Qwabe said that after he and Mngeni staged a fake carjacking, he drove the car as Mngeni kept a 7.62mm pistol pointed at Anni Dewani in the backseat and then pulled the trigger, the fatal shot going through her neck. Panicked, Qwabe said he stopped the car and got out, helping Mngeni find the spent bullet casing. He threw the casing into a sewer as they ran away. |
| Officials at first thought the crime was robbery. The rate of violent crime is high in South Africa but attacks on foreign tourists are rare. | Officials at first thought the crime was robbery. The rate of violent crime is high in South Africa but attacks on foreign tourists are rare. |
| Dewani, who denies involvement in the murder, was ordered to be extradited in August last year but in March the high court in London ruled that it would be "unjust and oppressive" to send him to South Africa until he recovered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. On Monday, district judge Howard Riddle said another full extradition hearing would not take place until at least 1 July next year. | Dewani, who denies involvement in the murder, was ordered to be extradited in August last year but in March the high court in London ruled that it would be "unjust and oppressive" to send him to South Africa until he recovered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. On Monday, district judge Howard Riddle said another full extradition hearing would not take place until at least 1 July next year. |
| Meanwhile, the judge said Dewani could be moved from a secure hospital to a hospital with a more relaxed feel to help him recover. | Meanwhile, the judge said Dewani could be moved from a secure hospital to a hospital with a more relaxed feel to help him recover. |
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