Cape Town - Honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani wept silently in the Western Cape High Court as his version of what happened to his newlywed wife, Anni Hindocha, was put to one of the killers.
Dewani has been composed throughout the trial, aside from an emotional breakdown while a video of the crime scene was shown last week.
On Monday, however, Dewani battled to hold back the tears.
With his eyes focused on hitman and State witness, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, he started to inhale and exhale deeply as his eyes welled up.
Dewani's legal team is suggesting that Anni was kidnapped for the purpose of a ransom and that the accused was kicked out of the car unharmed because he was the one who had the money to pay for the return of his wife.
She was killed accidentally during a struggle with Qwabe, the defence suggested.
Defence advocate Francois van Zyl SC put it to Qwabe that the objective facts do not support his version that his accomplice, Xolile Mngeni, fired the shot that killed Anni, while he drove the vehicle.
He referred to evidence that gunshot residue was found on the left glove Qwabe claimed he had been wearing during the hijacking, the embossed glove prints were found on the left rear door of the car and marks were found on Anni's leg, which were consistent with being grabbed by someone's right hand.
In addition, Van Zyl pointed out that Anni was shot in a residential area, saying that it was unlikely that the killers would have planned to shoot her there.
It was more probable that she would have been killed in secluded area, such as the nearby bushes in Khayelitsha.
These suggested that Qwabe, who wore the gloves, shot Anni with his left hand, while leaning into the rear of the car from the left hand side and pulling her by the leg with his right hand.
The trial continues.
IOL