I'm sorry, says Anni Dewani killer

INLSA

Nishma Hindocha, Annis Dewanis cousin, and Vinod Hindocha, Annis father, are overwhelmed as they listen to testimony in court.

Tears welling up in his eyes, Anni Dewani’s father sat opposite one of his daughter’s killers, who calmly described how they planned her murder, shot her, and then walked away and counted the money they had been paid for doing so.

After testifying in the Cape Town High Court yesterday, Mziwamadoda Qwabe apologised to Anni’s father, Vinod Hindocha, and her cousin, Nishma Hindocha, who were sitting on the opposite side of the room.

“To the family of the deceased, I know that… they can never ever bring their daughter back and… it would probably never be easy for them to forgive what happened to their daughter.

“I truly and humbly regret and apologise for what happened to their daughter... If ever, whenever, they can find it in their hearts to forgive me – I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

Hindocha, staring ahead, wiped his face while Nishma wept.

Five metres from them, a firearm, believed to have been used to kill Anni, four rounds of ammunition, a cellphone, a silver watch and a silver bracelet were placed on a table in the front of the courtroom as evidence.

Qwabe, who earlier this month pleaded guilty to his role in Anni’s murder, testified yesterday in the trial of Xolile Mngeni, the alleged trigger man in the case, who has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, robbing and murdering her.

The State believes these crimes were orchestrated by Anni’s husband, Shrien Dewani.

Hindocha and Nishma, who declined to comment on the case and Qwabe’s apology yesterday, have flown in from Sweden for the proceedings.

Qwabe testified that on November 12, 2010, the day before Anni was murdered, a friend of his named Monde called saying there was a job for him.

According to Qwabe, Monde had given Qwabe’s cellphone number to Zola Tongo, the chauffeur who soon after Anni’s murder pleaded guilty to his role in her killing.

Qwabe said at 7pm, while he was with Mngeni, Tongo phoned him saying there was a husband who wanted his wife killed.

On hearing this, Hindocha covered his face and looked down.

Qwabe said Tongo then asked how much this would cost, and Mngeni proposed a figure of R15 000.

The next day, Tongo called Qwabe and they agreed to meet at a shopping centre in Khayelitsha, and from there Tongo drove Qwabe to Sidima Circle in Khayelitsha, where they met Mngeni in front of a friend’s house.

Tongo “proceeded to tell us there’s a husband who wants his wife to be killed, and it has to look like a hijacking”, he said.

Gugulethu was chosen as the place for the crime.

Qwabe said they had also discussed what route Tongo would take in Gugulethu.

He said Tongo called him after 8pm saying he was on his way to Gugulethu, so he and Mngeni got a lift to Gugulethu.

But when they got there, Tongo called to say he had already left and was in Somerset West.

“I said: ‘No, it’s fine, we can leave it for some other time,’” Qwabe said.

However, after 11pm, when he and Mngeni had already returned to Khayelitsha, Qwabe said, Tongo telephoned him again.

Tongo told him the husband wanted the job done that night, Qwabe testified.

He then went to a tavern in Khayelitsha, where he met Mngeni, and the two again got a lift to Gugulethu.

Qwabe said that after being dropped off in Gugulethu, he and Mngeni walked to the agreed intersection, and Tongo SMSed saying he was nearby.

Tongo’s vehicle, a silver VW Sharan, was seen soon afterwards, and Qwabe said Mngeni stopped it and pointed a firearm at it.

While Qwabe was approaching, Mngeni was instructing the driver to get into the back seat of the vehicle.

Qwabe, who got into the driver’s seat and was wearing yellow rubber kitchen gloves, said Tongo was on the left of the back seat, Dewani in the middle and Anni on the right.

“I drove and we approached the corner of NY1 and NY111... [Tongo] was ordered out of the car. Before he went out, we asked him for his phone,” Qwabe said.

Before getting out of the car, Tongo told them their payment was in a pouch behind the front passenger seat.

Qwabe said he then drove to Kuyasa Village in Khayelitsha, ordered Dewani out the vehicle and told him to go to the side of the road. Then Qwabe drove down Mew Way and ended up between Ilitha Park and Endlovini.

“That’s when I heard the gunshot,” Qwabe said, adding Mngeni had fired it.

“After the shot, I quickly turned from Mew Way into Ilitha Park. I parked on the pavement.”

Qwabe said he got out the vehicle and saw Mngeni looking for the bullet casing on the back seat, where Anni was lying.

Asked by deputy director of public prosecutions Adrian Mopp if she had been alive, Qwabe responded: “I’m not sure, but he said she’s dead.”

Qwabe and Mngeni split the money left in the vehicle, as well as additional cash allegedly given to Mngeni by “the husband” (Shrien Dewani).

The trial continues today.