Tongo: I did a terrible thing

Cape Town 1910/12/07 Court Appearance, Zola Tongo, Cape High Court picture South African Police Service

Cape Town 1910/12/07 Court Appearance, Zola Tongo, Cape High Court picture South African Police Service

Published Oct 30, 2014

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Cape Town - One of the men in jail for the murder of Swedish honeymooner Anni Hindocha told the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday that he had “done a terrible thing”.

Testifying in the trial of Anni's husband Shrien Dewani - who is accused of orchestrating the killing - shuttle operator Zola Tongo said it was a “bad time in my life” and that it was for that reason that he did not have a clear recollection of the events at the time that he first confessed to the murder.

“Some of those things are only coming back now. But I have spoken the truth. Even now I am telling the truth,” he said.

Tongo was responding to Dewani's advocate Francois van Zyl SC, who questioned him about a number of differences between his testimony in court, his statement to police and the plea and sentence agreement he had entered into with the State.

It is Tongo's version that Dewani approached him about the killing in November 2010 and that he agreed to find a hitman who would be willing to kill.

Asked why he did not simply walk away, ignore Dewani's alleged offer and get on with his life, Tongo said that Dewani had promised to pay him and to refer more business to him.

Van Zyl asked why he did not tell the police about Dewani's alleged offer to refer business to him.

Tongo responded that he was not in a good condition at the time that he spoke to the police, which was shortly after Anni had been killed.

“But now I have settled down. Some of these things are now reappearing,” he said.

Cross-examination continues.

IOL

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