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| Shrien Dewani describes carjacking as murder trial begins in South Africa | Shrien Dewani describes carjacking as murder trial begins in South Africa |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The British millionaire Shrien Dewani has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, Anni, on their honeymoon as his long-awaited trial begins in Cape Town. | |
| The 34-year-old, from Westbury-on-Trym near Bristol, also revealed that he is bisexual and has had interactions with male sex workers. His head dropped when the court was shown video footage of Anni’s body lying in the back of an abandoned car, her hair blowing in the breeze. | |
| Dewani is accused of orchestrating a township hijacking in which his wife was killed in November 2010. He resisted extradition from the UK, citing mental health problems. On Monday he was formally charged with murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice. | Dewani is accused of orchestrating a township hijacking in which his wife was killed in November 2010. He resisted extradition from the UK, citing mental health problems. On Monday he was formally charged with murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice. |
| Wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie, Dewani stood in the dock and, in a calm voice, told high court judge Jeanette Traverso: “I plead not guilty to all five counts, my lady.” | |
| With members of both families sitting in court, his defence counsel, Francois van Zyl, then read out a 37-page plea explanation to the court. It quickly addressed rumours around Dewani’s sexuality that have featured in media reports leading up to the trial, including allegations from a German escort, Leopold Leisser. | |
| “I have had sexual interaction with both males and females,” the statement said. “I consider myself to be bisexual. My sexual interactions with males were mostly physical experiences or email chats with people I met online or in clubs; including prostitutes such as Leopold Leisser. | “I have had sexual interaction with both males and females,” the statement said. “I consider myself to be bisexual. My sexual interactions with males were mostly physical experiences or email chats with people I met online or in clubs; including prostitutes such as Leopold Leisser. |
| “My sexual interactions with females were usually during the course of a relationship which consisted of other activities and emotional attachment.” | “My sexual interactions with females were usually during the course of a relationship which consisted of other activities and emotional attachment.” |
| Dewani said he met Anni, from Sweden, on 30 May 2009 after a mutual friend gave him her contact details. “On our first date I was instantly physically attracted to her, loved her bubbly personality and sensed that there was mutual chemistry,” he said in the statement. “We fell in love with each other. We were both ambitious and shared a common view of the future. We were both headstrong and often argued with each other.” | |
| In December 2009, he continued, he was informed by an endocrinologist that as a result of abnormally low hormone levels, he may have fertility problems. The specialist recommended that if Dewani wanted to improve his chances of having children in the future he should start testosterone replacement therapy. Dewani said he discussed the problem with Anni. | |
| After a few turbulent months, Dewani hired a private jet to take him and Anni to Paris, where he proposed marriage in June 2010. They were married in India a few months later and went to South Africa on honeymoon. | After a few turbulent months, Dewani hired a private jet to take him and Anni to Paris, where he proposed marriage in June 2010. They were married in India a few months later and went to South Africa on honeymoon. |
| Prosecutors argue that Dewani then conspired with Cape Town residents Zola Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni to kill his wife. The three men are already serving jail terms in connection with the murder. | Prosecutors argue that Dewani then conspired with Cape Town residents Zola Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni to kill his wife. The three men are already serving jail terms in connection with the murder. |
| According to Dewani’s plea, on arrival in Cape Town he met a group of taxi drivers including Tongo, who told him he could act as a tour guide. Dewani sought his help in exchanging money to local currency and organising a private helicopter flight for 15,000 rand in cash. | |
| On the night of Saturday 13 November, the couple went for dinner then got in Tongo’s car without a plan of what to do next, Dewani claimed. “I recall there was some discussion about what Africa is really like.” | |
| They drove and turned off the motorway. “The next thing I remember was banging noises coming from the front and the right-hand side of the car. There was a lot of shouting in a language I did not understand. The next thing I recall is somebody next to me who told me to lie down. This person had a gun in his hand; I cannot recall which hand. | They drove and turned off the motorway. “The next thing I remember was banging noises coming from the front and the right-hand side of the car. There was a lot of shouting in a language I did not understand. The next thing I recall is somebody next to me who told me to lie down. This person had a gun in his hand; I cannot recall which hand. |
| “He was waving the gun in the air. He shouted: ‘Look down! Lie down!’ We were both terrified and we immediately complied with his demands. I was lying half on top of Anni. Another person was behind the steering wheel. I do not know where Tongo was at that stage.” | |
| The statement went on: “I pleaded with them to let us go. I remember my watch going off my right wrist but I am not sure of the exact sequence of the events. At some point the person with the gun shouted, ‘phone!’ and ‘money!’. I gave him all the money which I had on me. At that point I hid my phone in my trouser pocket. | |
| “… He then said ‘phone?’ to me. He searched me and found my phone in my trousers. He got angry. He placed the gun against my left ear and said words to the effect that I should not lie to him or he would shoot me. I heard a clicking noise from the gun which scared me even more. I have never been close to a real gun before.” | |
| The journey continued on to a small road, according to Dewani’s account. “Anni was screaming. They both instructed me to tell Anni to keep quiet. The driver said that they were not going to hurt us, they just wanted the car and they were going to let us go separately. I begged them to let us go together. | The journey continued on to a small road, according to Dewani’s account. “Anni was screaming. They both instructed me to tell Anni to keep quiet. The driver said that they were not going to hurt us, they just wanted the car and they were going to let us go separately. I begged them to let us go together. |
| “… The next thing I remember, they were both shouting at me to get out. I pleaded with them to let us both go. They refused. The driver said they would leave Anni at the police station. I insisted that we both have to stay together. They became angrier and shouted at me to get out. The one with the gun put it to my head again and threatened to shoot me if I did not get out. | |
| “I tried to open the door but it would not open. I recall the window opening. I recall hitting the ground and the car speeding away. The last thing I had said to Anni was to be quiet and not to say anything. I said this to her in Gujarati.” | “I tried to open the door but it would not open. I recall the window opening. I recall hitting the ground and the car speeding away. The last thing I had said to Anni was to be quiet and not to say anything. I said this to her in Gujarati.” |
| Dewani said he tried to get help and made contact with the police, who began a search. Eventually he received a call saying Anni had been found shot dead. “At that point my whole world came crashing down. The next I recall is that the doctor gave me pills in my bedroom.” | Dewani said he tried to get help and made contact with the police, who began a search. Eventually he received a call saying Anni had been found shot dead. “At that point my whole world came crashing down. The next I recall is that the doctor gave me pills in my bedroom.” |
| A few days later Tongo made contact and sounded down on his luck, complaining that he was being chased by the media. Dewani said he gave him a thank you card and 1,000 rand in an envelope. | |
| After the statement was read out, the court viewed police video footage of the abandoned car with Anni’s body lying in the back. She was wearing a black dress and high-heeled shoes and appeared to have dirt and a bruise on her leg. Her head was on the edge of the seat. | |
| The trial then began hearing evidence from the first witness, pathologist Dr Janette Verster, who described the postmortem examination and details of the cause of death. |