Dewani faces charges of murder, kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances, but claims his wife was killed after the couple were hijacked in November. SAPS arrested two men who claimed, as part of a plea bargain, the killing had been set up by Dewani. By that time he had left South Africa.
On his return to the UK, he was admitted to a facility to be treated for post-traumatic stress. His defence argued he was too ill to travel back to SA and, more sensationally, that his human rights would be infringed by the abysmal conditions he would face in prison in South Africa while awaiting trial (and also, presumably, were he convicted). South African authorities have tried to assure British authorities Dewani would be safe in the South African penal system.
Last week, the family of the murder victim, handed over a petition to the home secretary imploring her to grant South Africa’s request to have Dewani extradited. In response, Dewani’s supporters have set up a petition requesting the British government to deny the extradition requests because South Africa does not comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. DM
Read more:
- UK signs Dewani extradition order in TimesLIVE;
- Dewani suspect to stand trial despite tumour in IOL News;
- Analysis: Dewani ruling not much of a vindication for SA prison system in The Daily Maverick.
Photo: REUTERS