Sci-tech

Sci-Tech

Dewani expected to appeal extradition to SA

Dewani expected to appeal extradition to SA

A month after a British judge ruled that murder accused Shrien Dewani, 31, could be extradited to South Africa, the National Prosecuting Authority announced on Wednesday that home secretary Theresa May had approved the extradition. Dewani is to stand trial for allegedly arranging the murder of his wife Anni on their honeymoon in Cape Town last year. Dewani strongly denies this, but is fighting the extradition. Dewani has 14 days to appeal.  By KHADIJA PATEL.

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

Gallery

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Every seed of hope will one day sprout.

South African citizens throughout the country are standing up for our human rights. Stay informed, connected and inspired by our weekly FREE Maverick Citizen newsletter.