Cape Town -
Phone records, which are to be scrutinised by lawyers representing honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani, intriguingly include calls made and received by the attorney for one of the alleged hitmen a week before the hitman was even arrested.
Phone activity on the records Dewani’s defence team are to probe occurred before anyone had been arrested in connection with the murder of Dewani’s Swedish bride, Anni.
The defence subpoenaed Athlone attorney William da Grass for records of landline and cellphone calls he made and received between November 14 and 30, 2010. However, on November 14, Da Grass had no involvement in the matter.
His client, Zola Tongo, was only arrested in connection with the case on November 20.
Tongo, who told the court he had arranged the hit at Dewani’s behest, pleaded guilty on December 7 that year, and was sentenced to 18 years in jail.
Dewani handed himself over to Bristol police the following day.
When Dewani appeared in the Western Cape High Court this week, Da Grass told the court he was not reluctant to hand over the documents but wanted to check whether it breached Tongo’s constitutional rights.
After the court heard Tongo would in any event be a State witness, Judge Robert Henney granted an order directing Da Grass to hand over the records by next Friday.
The court appearance on Tuesday was Dewani’s last before his trial, due to start in 22 days. Prosecutors Adrian Mopp and Shareen Riley are expected to put the charges to Dewani on October 6, to which he will formally plead.
Saturday Argus