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THE ACCUSED: Mziwamadoda Qwabe, left, and Xolile Mgeni are awaiting trial for the murder of Anni Dewani. Picture: Brenton Geach

FATIMA SCHROEDER

THE two men accused of murdering Swedish-born bride Anni Dewani have told the Western Cape High Court they are not going to allow her widower’s lengthy extradition battle to delay their trial.

The advocates representing Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni told Judge André le Grange yesterday during a pre-trial conference that they were not willing to wait for Shrien Dewani to be extradited from the UK so he could stand trial with them for his wife’s murder.

It is alleged that Anni’s death was the result of a contract killing masterminded by Dewani.

The advocates’ comments came after State advocate Shareen Riley asked Judge le Grange to postpone the case for two months for another pre-trial conference.

She explained that the state intended to add Dewani’s name to the charge sheet, but could not do so until his extradition in the UK was finalised.

Defence advocates Mornay Calitz and Thabo Nogemane did not object to the matter being postponed for a pre-trial conference, but said they were not willing to wait for Dewani’s extradition.

Both Qwabe and Mngeni are in custody awaiting trial.

Dewani has denied involvement in his wife’s murder.

In September last year, senior district Judge Howard Riddle ruled at Belmarsh Magistrate’s Court in southeast London that Dewani should be sent back to SA to stand trial with Qwabe and Mngeni.

The extradition order was signed by British Home Secretary Theresa May later that month.

But Dewani has since appealed to the British High Court, and it is this outcome that SA’s prosecuting authorities are waiting for before they can add his name to the charge sheet. Riley said there was no indication of when the appeal judgment would be handed down.

Shrien and Anni Dewani were on honeymoon in SA in November 2010 when they were hijacked in Gugulethu by two armed men.

Dewani told the media that after about 20 minutes of driving around, the hijackers kicked him out of the car unharmed. But Anni was killed and her body discovered on November 14 in the hijacked car, parked on a pavement in Illitha Park, Khayelitsha.

Later taxi driver Zola Tongo confessed to involvement when he pleaded guilty and claimed that Dewani was the mastermind.

He alleged that Dewani offered to pay him R15 000 to arrange Anni’s murder, and make it look like a hijacking.

Tonga, who was sentenced to 18 years behind bars, implicated Qwabe and Mngeni in the murder when he claimed that he had recruited them as hitmen.

The case returns to the High Court for another pre-trial conference on April 13.