Cape Town - The family of slain Swedish beauty Anni Hindocha blamed her newlywed husband Shrien Dewani for her murder because she was killed after two weeks with him, while the family looked after her for 29 years.
This is what defence advocate Francois Van Zyl SC put to Anni's cousin, Sneha Mashru, in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
Dewani is accused of orchestrating Anni's murder and requesting hitmen to make it look as if she had been killed in a hijacking.
However, taxi driver Zola Tongo and hitman Mziwamadoda Qwabe told police that Anni was shot dead on Dewani's instructions.
Mashru was a key State witness and, over the last two days, testified that Anni was unhappy in the marriage and wanted a divorce - something which was taboo in the Dewani family.
She said she went to the police after the murder and handed over text messages and emails between herself and Anni because she believed that it was "concrete" proof that all was not well in the relationship.
The couple, she said, pretended to be happy at their three-day wedding in India.
She became suspicious of Dewani, pointing out that he did not behave like a grieving widower, and said she went to the police because she wanted to know if he had anything to do with Anni's murder.
However, the defence suggested that there was nothing suspicious in Dewani's actions.
According to him, divorce was not taboo for the Dewanis.
He said there were a number of broken engagements and divorces in the Dewani family and that they accepted that "these things happen".
Van Zyl also pointed out that Dewani had requested that his suits be tailored after Anni was killed because he had lost weight and wanted to look good at his wife's funeral.
In addition, Dewani denied that he was cold after Anni's death and claims that he often comes across as cold because of "perfectionist traits" in his personality, Van Zyl said.
He pointed out that the Hindochas blamed Dewani for the fact that Anni had been killed two weeks after marrying him.
The trial continues.
IOL