Charges against one of the men allegedly hired to kill honeymoon tourist Anni Dewani could be withdrawn.
A doctor told the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday that Xolile Mngeni, 24, who is being treated for a tumour, can’t stand trial and that the cancer has spread.
Mngeni was on Tuesday brought to court against his doctors’ orders with co-accused Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 25, to face charges for the murder in November last year.
The two are alleged to have accepted cash from UK businessman Shrien Dewani to have his bride killed in a staged hijacking in Khayelitsha.
Dewani is currently facing extradition from the UK while taxi driver Zola Tongo is in prison after confessing to his role in the execution.
Condition
Qwabe appeared alone in the dock on Tuesday as officials allowed Mngeni to stay in the court’s holding cells after the court received a medical report on his condition.
In her report, Dr Jeannette Parkes stated that tests done on July 15 revealed that the cancer had spread to “the lining of the entire spinal cord and brain”.
Mngeni will undergo radiotherapy later this month but will remain in the hospital section at Pollsmoor until then.
“Mr Mngeni is essentially bed-bound… I do not feel that he is fit to appear in court on August 2 and it is unlikely that he will be well enough anytime in the next six weeks,” said Parkes.
He had spent five weeks vomiting and complaining of headaches and double-vision.
After reading the report, Magistrate Jackie Redelinghuys told the head of Prosecutions in the Western Cape, Rodney de Kock, that he would have to decide whether to go ahead with the charges if Mngeni doesn’t respond to treatment.
“The Directorate of Public Prosecutions must make a decision on whether to bring him [Mngeni] to court at a later stage and only proceed with the trial against Qwabe,” said De Kock.
*This article was published on p5 of the Daily Voice