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| Shrien Dewani trial: Judge asked to continue hearing | Shrien Dewani trial: Judge asked to continue hearing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A judge is considering whether a case against UK businessman Shrien Dewani, accused of the murder of his wife, should continue. | |
| Mr Dewani is accused of organising the killing of his wife Anni while on honeymoon in South Africa in 2010. | Mr Dewani is accused of organising the killing of his wife Anni while on honeymoon in South Africa in 2010. |
| Defence lawyers claimed taxi driver Zola Tongo, who is serving 18 years for her murder, was an unreliable witness. | |
| But state lawyers said Tongo's financial difficulties led him to take part in the murder plot. | |
| Tongo, prosecutors allege, was paid 15,000 rand (about £1,000) to organise the murder of Mrs Dewani. | |
| Mr Dewani, a care home owner from Westbury-on-Trym near Bristol, who was extradited from the UK after a lengthy Home Office battle, claims the couple were hijacked while Tongo drove them through the Gugulethu township in his taxi on 13 November 2010. | |
| He was released unharmed but his wife was driven away. Her body was found in the abandoned taxi in Khayelitsha the next morning. She had been shot. | He was released unharmed but his wife was driven away. Her body was found in the abandoned taxi in Khayelitsha the next morning. She had been shot. |
| The state alleges that Mr Dewani conspired with others to stage the hijacking. | |
| Mr Dewani maintains the money was actually for a surprise helicopter trip which Tongo was helping to arrange. | |
| Prosecutors have submitted a 62-page report following a defence bid to have the case thrown out. | Prosecutors have submitted a 62-page report following a defence bid to have the case thrown out. |
| Tongo was jailed alongside Mziwamadoda Qwabe, who was sentenced to 25 years for his part in the murder. | |
| Xolile Mngeni, who was convicted of firing the shot which killed Mrs Dewani, was sentenced to life in prison and died in jail. | Xolile Mngeni, who was convicted of firing the shot which killed Mrs Dewani, was sentenced to life in prison and died in jail. |
| Prosecution lawyer Adrian Mopp said the group were "not the A Team of contractors" and said they could "barely organise transport". | Prosecution lawyer Adrian Mopp said the group were "not the A Team of contractors" and said they could "barely organise transport". |
| "They are not sleek operators at all," Mr Mopp said. | "They are not sleek operators at all," Mr Mopp said. |
| But he defended Tongo's evidence saying the timings of the plot were "very clear". | But he defended Tongo's evidence saying the timings of the plot were "very clear". |
| Mr Mopp added: "We are dealing with an amateurish attempt. If it was not for the fact the deceased was killed it would have been comical how this act was put together and executed." | Mr Mopp added: "We are dealing with an amateurish attempt. If it was not for the fact the deceased was killed it would have been comical how this act was put together and executed." |
| The state's submission to the court concludes that "contradictions and discrepancies" in Tongo's evidence "may flow from natural defects of observation" and "mistakes of memory". | The state's submission to the court concludes that "contradictions and discrepancies" in Tongo's evidence "may flow from natural defects of observation" and "mistakes of memory". |
| But Tongo "never strayed from the crux of his evidence" about the murder plot. | But Tongo "never strayed from the crux of his evidence" about the murder plot. |
| Judge Jeanette Traverso said she would make a decision on the case next Monday. |