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| Shrien Dewani back in UK after honeymoon murder trial collapse | Shrien Dewani back in UK after honeymoon murder trial collapse |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Businessman Shrien Dewani has arrived back in the UK after being acquitted of arranging the murder of his wife on their honeymoon in South Africa. | Businessman Shrien Dewani has arrived back in the UK after being acquitted of arranging the murder of his wife on their honeymoon in South Africa. |
| Dewani was thought to be heading back to the family home in Bristol but faces an uncertain future as his late wife Anni’s family are vowing to fight on to force him to give his account of what happened under oath. | Dewani was thought to be heading back to the family home in Bristol but faces an uncertain future as his late wife Anni’s family are vowing to fight on to force him to give his account of what happened under oath. |
| Dewani, 34, left Cape Town airport on Tuesday morning 24 hours after a judge cleared of him plotting Anni’s murder in November 2010. | |
| He flew back to Gatwick airport via Dubai and left through a side entrance guarded by police before being driven away in a black people carrier shortly before 7am on Wednesday. | He flew back to Gatwick airport via Dubai and left through a side entrance guarded by police before being driven away in a black people carrier shortly before 7am on Wednesday. |
| Armed police officers were on guard at the airport preventing reporters from approaching the exit used by Dewani. Wearing a white shirt, jeans and a jacket, he sat in the middle rear seat of the car flanked by a man and a woman. | Armed police officers were on guard at the airport preventing reporters from approaching the exit used by Dewani. Wearing a white shirt, jeans and a jacket, he sat in the middle rear seat of the car flanked by a man and a woman. |
| A Sky TV producer who spoke briefly to Dewani in the first-class compartment said Dewani and his family had made it clear that this was not a time for congratulations. He said he seemed elated and relaxed but had a “edge of nervousness”. | |
| Dewani was free to return to the UK after the judge, Jeanette Traverso, dismissed the case against him, describing evidence against him as being “riddled with contradictions”. | Dewani was free to return to the UK after the judge, Jeanette Traverso, dismissed the case against him, describing evidence against him as being “riddled with contradictions”. |
| The collapse of the trial in Cape Town left his wife’s family devastated and Anni’s uncle, Ashok Hindocha, said they were exploring the possibility of taking legal action in the bid to find answers. | The collapse of the trial in Cape Town left his wife’s family devastated and Anni’s uncle, Ashok Hindocha, said they were exploring the possibility of taking legal action in the bid to find answers. |
| Hindocha said the decision to halt the trial before Dewani gave evidence meant there were “holes to be filled” in the story about his niece’s final days. | Hindocha said the decision to halt the trial before Dewani gave evidence meant there were “holes to be filled” in the story about his niece’s final days. |
| Speaking from Sweden, he told the Guardian: “We were hoping for closure. We still do not have that but hope that we will have it in the near future. We need to get the family together here and see what options we have, what possibilities we have to continue the process. | Speaking from Sweden, he told the Guardian: “We were hoping for closure. We still do not have that but hope that we will have it in the near future. We need to get the family together here and see what options we have, what possibilities we have to continue the process. |
| “There is still determination to continue. Otherwise we will have sleepless nights for the rest of our lives. We choose determination.” | “There is still determination to continue. Otherwise we will have sleepless nights for the rest of our lives. We choose determination.” |
| The family will gather in Sweden over Christmas to plan their next moves. | The family will gather in Sweden over Christmas to plan their next moves. |
| “We need to be together; we’ve been away from each other for a long time now – some of the family here, some in the UK, some in South Africa. All we’ve had is telephone contact. We really need to speak all together and speak to lawyers and see what options we have.” | “We need to be together; we’ve been away from each other for a long time now – some of the family here, some in the UK, some in South Africa. All we’ve had is telephone contact. We really need to speak all together and speak to lawyers and see what options we have.” |
| Hindocha said the family’s “number one” option was some sort of legal action in the UK. | Hindocha said the family’s “number one” option was some sort of legal action in the UK. |
| Hindocha said Dewani, whose legal team said in court that he was bisexual, had lied to the family and to Anni about his sexuality. | Hindocha said Dewani, whose legal team said in court that he was bisexual, had lied to the family and to Anni about his sexuality. |
| “He lied the moment he told Anni that he loved her and they were in a serious relationship. He lied to the priest in India [where the couple married]. He should have spoken the truth and said: ’Look Anni, I love you but I’m gay, bisexual.’ I think that is a crucial thing. When you go into a long-term relationship you must be honest.” | “He lied the moment he told Anni that he loved her and they were in a serious relationship. He lied to the priest in India [where the couple married]. He should have spoken the truth and said: ’Look Anni, I love you but I’m gay, bisexual.’ I think that is a crucial thing. When you go into a long-term relationship you must be honest.” |
| Of the legal process in Cape Town, he said: “We didn’t get the full story out of South Africa. The judge wouldn’t allow it. There were crucial points to be debated.” He conceded there were holes in the evidence of taxi driver Zola Tongo. “But I’m sure many of those holes could have been filled if Shrien had been cross-examined. We never got the answers. We never got the chance to know. He’s never been cross-examined. The judge in South Africa bought everything that Shrien’s lawyer said.” | Of the legal process in Cape Town, he said: “We didn’t get the full story out of South Africa. The judge wouldn’t allow it. There were crucial points to be debated.” He conceded there were holes in the evidence of taxi driver Zola Tongo. “But I’m sure many of those holes could have been filled if Shrien had been cross-examined. We never got the answers. We never got the chance to know. He’s never been cross-examined. The judge in South Africa bought everything that Shrien’s lawyer said.” |
| Asked about what he thought of the image of Dewani leaving South Africa via Cape Town airport, Hindocha said: “We never said who is guilty, who is not guilty. Our objective has been that we want to know the truth. We did not get it from South Africa. We are hoping in the near future to get this truth.” | Asked about what he thought of the image of Dewani leaving South Africa via Cape Town airport, Hindocha said: “We never said who is guilty, who is not guilty. Our objective has been that we want to know the truth. We did not get it from South Africa. We are hoping in the near future to get this truth.” |