A key piece of evidence in the case against alleged honeymoon murder mastermind Shrien Dewani is the Blackberry cellphone he is alleged to have used to call and SMS hitmen.
And police are believed to be in possession of it.
In a transcript of court proceedings detailing Dewani’s December bail application appeal in the UK, Mr Justice Ouseley said Dewani’s Blackberry had been stolen on the night of his wife Anni’s murder in Gugulethu on November 13.
Ouseley said that, after the killing, which Dewani is suspected of having orchestrated, he had co-operated with South African police, even giving officers his Blackberry’s PIN code.
“His departure from South Africa was agreed and assisted, albeit at a time when the South African authorities’ investigation was not as advanced as it is.
“He assisted by providing the password to his Blackberry, which was stolen.
“There are indications that it was recovered,” Ouseley said.
This was the first time Dewani’s Blackberry was brought up in court.
So far, only his wife’s Blackberry, which was mentioned in court documents as having been stolen during the hijacking, then later recovered, had been focused on.
In court documents, a list of items stolen from the honeymooning couple show that only one Blackberry was taken from them.
Asked on Thursday whether Dewani’s Blackberry had also been stolen, National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila referred to the case’s investigating officer’s affidavit, which said the honeymooning couple had been “robbed of certain possessions”.
The officer, Paul Hendrikse’s, affidavit went on to say Anni Dewani’s Blackberry was stolen, but he did not mention Shrien Dewani’s.
Dewani had handed himself in to police on December 7 and a day later was released on R2.7 million bail, but South African authorities had appealed against this and Dewani had remained in custody.
On December 10, Ouseley, a high court judge, dismissed the appeal and had granted Dewani’s release.
According to the UK court transcripts, Ouseley said Dewani had “a genuine and realistic interest in making sure that he clears his name”.
He said Dewani had strong ties to his home town, Bristol.
“This is the place where he was born, brought up and where the family business is undertaken. He is an intelligent, professionally qualified man and his family is of high standing in the local community; they would have no obvious interest in assisting him to abscond.”
In the transcript, he was also quoted as saying that, if Dewani tried to evade his trial, this could be viewed as an admission of guilt.
Next week, the alleged hitmen implicated in the murder, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni, are expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
Dewani’s official extradition hearing in the UK is expected to begin on May 3. Zola Tongo has been sentenced to 18 years for his part in Anni’s murder. - Cape Times