Dewani and his wife Ani were on honeymoon in Cape Town in 2010 when Ani was shot and killed in what looked like a botched carjacking at the time. Dewani claimed he and his wife were kidnapped at gunpoint as they drove through Gugulethu in a taxi. He was released unharmed, but Ani’s body was found in the abandoned car the next day.
The SA government battled for several years to have Dewani extradited to stand trial after he was allowed to leave SA shortly after the incident. He was returned earlier this year at massive expense to tax payers. He is charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice. It is the State’s case that he acted in common purpose and conspired with Cape Town residents Zola Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, and Xolile Mngeni to kill his wife.
Sapa reports Dewani’s lawyer Francois van Zyl told the court this week that the mental health panel made a unanimous decision, including Professor Tuviah Zabow, who was appointed by the court as a psychiatrist for Dewani. “We are in agreement. There is no objection”.
Dewani would go on trial on October 6. He would appear in court again on September 9 for a formal pre-trial hearing.
De Kock brought an application in June for Dewani’s mental health to be officially observed in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act. At the time, he said observation was necessary as the mental health report prepared by Valkenberg psychiatrist Dr Sean Baumann differed in its opinion to that of Zabow.
Dewani has not yet been asked to plead.
