Leila Samodien
Justice Writer
A VERBAL exchange between Shrien Dewani and jailed taxi driver Zola Tongo – video footage of which was shown in the Western Cape High Court – was about whether “the job” had been done.
This was according to Tongo, a key State witness who spent a second day testifying yesterday.
On trial is Dewani, a British businessman accused of orchestrating the murder of his Swedish wife, Anni, in what was allegedly made to look like a hijacking.
The incident took place almost four years ago while the newlyweds were on honeymoon in Cape Town.
In one of several CCTV video clips shown in court yesterday, Dewani and Tongo were seen having a discussion in a lounge area at the Cape Grace hotel – where the couple had been staying – on the morning of November 14, 2010, the day Anni’s body was discovered.
Tongo testified that Dewani had “continuously” asked him whether he was fine. Dewani had also wanted to know whether “the job” had been done.
Tongo could not remember whether he had at that stage already been told about the discovery of the body.
According to Tongo’s earlier evidence, “the job” was to kill Dewani’s female “business partner”.
The hitmen were to get R15 000 while Tongo was to receive R5 000 once it was done.
The court saw further video footage captured at the same hotel a few days later, on November 16, 2010. Dewani could be seen in the video clip carrying a plastic bag. Tongo is seen arriving at the hotel and later leaves carrying a plastic bag.
Tongo testified that Dewani had given him an envelope in a plastic bag and that he was “angry” when he counted the money in the envelope because there was only R1 000.
Tongo also told of the hijacking incident, saying that one of two other men involved – Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni – had jumped on to the bonnet of the car while the other had come towards him. According to him, each man had a firearm.
Once they were in the car, Dewani consoled Anni, who Tongo referred to as “the lady” or “the woman”, as she was crying. Tongo further claimed that he did not recognise Anni as Dewani’s wife on the night of the hijacking.
He had met her at the airport the previous day when the couple arrived in Cape Town and he had transported them to the hotel.
Tongo said he did not know the person he met the following night, that she had a different appearance from the woman he had met at the airport and that he thought she was Dewani’s business partner.
Cross-examination of Tongo, who is serving an 18-year sentence for his role in Anni’s murder, is expected to start today.
Earlier in yesterday’s court proceedings, Western Cape Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso ruled as inadmissible certain evidence that was to be given by gay escort Leopold Leisser relating to discussions between him and Dewani.
Leisser took the witness stand for a second time but only for a few minutes.