Cape Town - The ease with which a Cape Town shuttle operator, who chauffeured VIP clients, agreed to find a killer emerged in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday in the trial of British businessman Shrien Dewani.
Zola Tongo testified that, when Dewani allegedly approached him to find a hitmen, he agreed to ask someone in the township.
He went to hotel receptionist Monde Mbolombo with the proposal and Mbolombo immediately went to find a number for Mziwamadida Qwabe.
“Just like that,” Dewani's advocate Francois van Zyl SC quipped.
He asked for R5 000 for his troubles.
When Van Zyl asked what he had done for that amount of money, Tongo said that he had used his own airtime to make calls and used his petrol to drive to Mbolombo.
“Is that all,” Van Zyl asked.
To which Tongo responded: “I sacrificed my life for this to happen. There are many troubles that I went through but the least is that.”
Dewani is accused of the murder of his wife during their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him, maintaining that the couple were the victims of a hijacking on November 13, 2010.
The State alleges that he conspired with others to stage the hijacking in return for R15 000.
Her slumped body was found in the abandoned shuttle taxi in Khayelitsha the following day.
Mbolombo was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying against his accomplices.
Xolile Mngeni was serving life in jail for firing the shot that killed Anni, but died in prison from a brain tumour two weeks ago. Mziwamadoda Qwabe is serving a 25-year jail term, and Tongo 18 years.
The trial continues.
IOL and Sapa