Witness denies ‘paying for tik with cellphones’

Caryn Dolley

XOLILE MNGENI, accused of murdering Anni Dewani, would supply tik to others and accept their cellphones as a form of payment if they did not have cash.

This emerged in the Western Cape High Court yesterday when Mngeni’s legal representative, Matthews Dayimani, cross-examined a witness, a friend of Mngeni’s from Khayelitsha who may not be named for fear of reprisals.

Mngeni has denied robbing, kidnapping and murdering Dewani on November 13, 2010, crimes the State believes her husband Shrien Dewani masterminded.

Yesterday Dayimani asked the witness if he knew what Mngeni’s source of income had been in 2010.

The witness said Mngeni would ask for money at home.

Dayimani then asked: “Did he have a good supply of tik?”

The witness said he did not remember anything about tik.

Dayimani then put it to him that it was instruction, from Mngeni, that the witness would be provided with a cut of Mngeni’s “supply”.

Judge Robert Henney told the witness he did not have to answer the question, but the witness responded: “I had nothing to do with that.”

Dayimani then put it to the witness that it was also his instruction that the witness, as well as some of his friends, would give their cellphones to Mngeni in exchange for tik.

Judge Henney clarified this by saying instead of paying money, the witness and his friends would leave their cellphones with Mngeni in exchange for the drug.

“There’s no such thing,” the witness replied.

On Wednesday the witness testified that in the early hours of November 14, 2010, the day Dewani’s body had been discovered, Mngeni had arrived at his shack and had later, along with his girlfriend, slept over at the witness’s shack.

However, yesterday Dayimani said Mngeni would deny this. “He used my shack. The sheet was dirty. His jacket was left behind,” the witness insisted. On Wednesday the witness said later on November 14, 2010, he, Mngeni and a third friend had gone to the V&A Waterfront where Mngeni, paying cash, had bought a pair of green Lacoste takkies and a K-Way jacket.

Yesterday Dayimani referred to a statement made to police by the witness, in which the witness said he had woken up at about 9.30am on November 14. Dayimani then referred to a document showing that the pair of Lacoste takkies had been purchased at the Waterfront at 9.53am.

This meant it would have taken the witness roughly 23 minutes to wash, meet Mngeni and the third friend and then take two taxis with them to get to the Waterfront. The witness said the time on his cellphone could have been wrong, therefore he may not have woken up at about 9.30am.

On Wednesday the witness testified that on November 14, Mngeni said he had shot a woman and robbed a person of a cellphone. Yesterday Dayimani said Mngeni would deny saying this. The trial continues on Monday.