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| Shrien Dewani trial: Killer denies shooting Anni Dewani | Shrien Dewani trial: Killer denies shooting Anni Dewani |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A convicted killer has denied shooting dead honeymooner Anni Dewani in a hijacked vehicle as she and her husband toured a South African township. | |
| Bristol businessman Shrien Dewani, 34, is on trial in South Africa charged with arranging his wife's murder. | Bristol businessman Shrien Dewani, 34, is on trial in South Africa charged with arranging his wife's murder. |
| Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 29, has already been jailed for his part in the killing but insisted he was driving and did not pull the trigger on 13 November 2010. | Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 29, has already been jailed for his part in the killing but insisted he was driving and did not pull the trigger on 13 November 2010. |
| Mr Dewani denies any involvement in the killing in Gugulethu, Cape Town. | Mr Dewani denies any involvement in the killing in Gugulethu, Cape Town. |
| 'Threatened with pistol' | 'Threatened with pistol' |
| Defence lawyer Francois van Zyl told Western Cape High Court that all the evidence pointed to Qwabe pulling the trigger, not his accomplice Xolile Mngeni, who is serving life in jail for the murder of Mrs Dewani, a 28-year-old Swedish national. | Defence lawyer Francois van Zyl told Western Cape High Court that all the evidence pointed to Qwabe pulling the trigger, not his accomplice Xolile Mngeni, who is serving life in jail for the murder of Mrs Dewani, a 28-year-old Swedish national. |
| Mr van Zyl said Qwabe was "most probably standing at the left rear door, pulling her (Mrs Dewani) with your right hand, threatening her with the pistol against her chest". | Mr van Zyl said Qwabe was "most probably standing at the left rear door, pulling her (Mrs Dewani) with your right hand, threatening her with the pistol against her chest". |
| Qwabe disagreed and stuck to his version that he was driving the vehicle when he heard the shot being fired. | Qwabe disagreed and stuck to his version that he was driving the vehicle when he heard the shot being fired. |
| Qwabe is serving a 25-year jail term and taxi driver Zola Tongo 18 years. | Qwabe is serving a 25-year jail term and taxi driver Zola Tongo 18 years. |
| Mr van Zyl then told the court Tongo's statement said he saw two men walking towards his vehicle at the intersection that night and both had firearms. | Mr van Zyl then told the court Tongo's statement said he saw two men walking towards his vehicle at the intersection that night and both had firearms. |
| He said the first man, Qwabe, got into the driver's seat and pushed him to the passenger seat while the second man got into the back with the couple. | He said the first man, Qwabe, got into the driver's seat and pushed him to the passenger seat while the second man got into the back with the couple. |
| He said Qwabe had put a firearm against his head a short time later and ordered him out of the vehicle. | He said Qwabe had put a firearm against his head a short time later and ordered him out of the vehicle. |
| Qwabe denied this version of events, saying there was only one firearm. | Qwabe denied this version of events, saying there was only one firearm. |
| 'Couldn't have reached' | 'Couldn't have reached' |
| Mr van Zyl told the court it would have been impossible, on Qwabe's version, for Mngeni to have shot Mrs Dewani from the front passenger seat as his right arm measures 55.5cm (22in) from hand to elbow but the distance between the front and back seats was 80cm (31in) | Mr van Zyl told the court it would have been impossible, on Qwabe's version, for Mngeni to have shot Mrs Dewani from the front passenger seat as his right arm measures 55.5cm (22in) from hand to elbow but the distance between the front and back seats was 80cm (31in) |
| "He couldn't have reached the lady... to fire the shot," said Mr van Zyl. | "He couldn't have reached the lady... to fire the shot," said Mr van Zyl. |
| The court was shown Qwabe's glove from the night of the shooting which had later tested positive for primer residue. | The court was shown Qwabe's glove from the night of the shooting which had later tested positive for primer residue. |
| Qwabe said his glove could have picked up primer residue because the space in the car was very small and the windows were closed. | Qwabe said his glove could have picked up primer residue because the space in the car was very small and the windows were closed. |
| He said he had also picked up the bullet casing afterwards. | He said he had also picked up the bullet casing afterwards. |
| But Mr van Zyl said the location of the residue was consistent with firing a gun, not picking up a bullet casing. | But Mr van Zyl said the location of the residue was consistent with firing a gun, not picking up a bullet casing. |
| He told the court experts would testify that someone was either sitting next to Mrs Dewani when the shot was fired or that someone was standing at the rear door from the outside, grabbing her and threatening her. | He told the court experts would testify that someone was either sitting next to Mrs Dewani when the shot was fired or that someone was standing at the rear door from the outside, grabbing her and threatening her. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |