Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani allegedly told hitmen he paid to kill his wife that he wanted her “taken off the scene”, a court was told yesterday.

Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani allegedly told hitmen he paid to kill his wife that he wanted her “taken off the scene”, a court was told yesterday.
The care home boss meticulously planned and outlined exactly how he wanted Anni Hindocha, 28, to be murdered after recruiting contract killers through a South African taxi driver, the court heard.
Dewani, 31, appeared at Belmarsh magistrates’ court yesterday to fight extradition to South Africa where he faces charges of plotting to murder his wife. He has consistently denied the claims.
Dewani sat in the dock with his head bowed, talking to himself or praying, as the case against him was set out.
Hugo Keith QC, for the South African authorities, told the court how on November 9, 2010, Dewani flew into South Africa with his wife.
After visiting the Kruger National Park for three days, the couple went to Cape Town where they met tour guide and taxi driver Zola Tongo at the airport. He drove them to their five-star hotel. During the journey it was agreed that Tongo would be the couple’s tour guide during the rest of their trip.
Tongo, who has pleaded guilty in a plea bargain with the South African authorities, claims Dewani hatched the plot. Keith said: “After they arrived (at the hotel) Dewani approached him alone and asked him if he knew anyone that could get a client of his taken off the scene.
“After some discussion Tongo realised that he wanted to have the woman killed.”
Keith added that Dewani agreed to pay 15,000 rand — 5,000 for Tongo and 10,000 for the gunmen. The court heard Dewani told Tongo how he wanted the murder to happen. That it would be made to look like a carjacking that went wrong and that Dewani and Tongo would be ejected from the car before the killers drove off.
Keith added that it was designed to look like a “criminal act and not, as it in fact was, a contract killing”.
The three-day hearing is due to be adjourned until July when the court will hear evidence from doctors at the Fromeside medium secure mental health unit in Bristol on Dewani’s psychological state to determine whether he is mentally fit to be extradited.

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