Dewani trial: lawyer slams sergeant’s evidence

Shrien Dewani appears in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town. File photo: Mike Hutchings

Shrien Dewani appears in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town. File photo: Mike Hutchings

Published Oct 21, 2014

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Cape Town - The advocate representing honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani, put it to a police sergeant that his evidence that Dewani acted suspiciously when questioned was aimed at creating suspicion and atmosphere.

Defence advocate Francois van Zyl SC put this to sergeant Cornelius Mellet, who testified in the Western Cape High Court earlier on Tuesday that he questioned Dewani about what had happened to him, while they were driving from the Harare Police Station in Khayelitsha to the Cape Grace Hotel in the city.

It was Mellet's testimony that Dewani did not behave like a husband who was concerned about the fact that hijackers had driven off with his wife.

Dewani stands accused of orchestrating the murder of his wife, Anni Hindocha, while they were on honeymoon in Cape Town on November 13, 2010.

The accused claims that he and Anni were hijacked, that the robbers let him go and that they drove off with Anni, who was later shot dead.

When Mellet questioned him, it had not yet been established that Anni had been shot dead.

Mellet on Tuesday pointed out that Dewani was neatly dressed and clean - unlike someone who had been hijacked.

During the drive to the Cape Grace, Dewani came across as tense and nervous, and he was sweating, he said.

He also claimed that Dewani was eager to get to the hotel and that he did not know why.

During cross examination however, Van Zyl put it to him that Dewani was in a hurry to get back to the hotel so that he could make a call to London to ask his family to assist him to have his cellphone, which had been taken during the hijacking, traced.

He also needed his family to help him find details of the taxi driver they had used that evening.

Dewani could not make an international call from the police station, the court heard.

Van Zyl put it to Mellet that his evidence about alleged strange behaviour on Dewani's part was an attempt by him to create suspicion and to create atmosphere.

The trial continues on Wednesday when ballistics evidence is to be presented.

IOL

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