Cape Town -
A family friend of the man who helped organise Anni Dewani’s murder has testified she saw him, the alleged triggerman and a third man together in a vehicle hours before the killing.
The witness, who has lived in Khayelitsha for 18 years and who was previously close friends with Zola Tongo’s mother, Liziwe, on Thursday said she saw Tongo, who in 2010 pleaded guilty to his role in Anni’s murder, with Xolile Mngeni and a third man sitting together in a beige Kombi-like vehicle in Khayelitsha that day.
Mngeni is on trial in the Western Cape High Court for allegedly kidnapping, robbing and murdering Anni on November 13, 2010 in Khayelitsha. He has pleaded not guilty to the crimes, which the State believes were masterminded by Anni’s husband, Shrien Dewani.
On Thursday, the witness, who may not be named as she fears intimidation, confirmed she had moved to Khayelitsha in 1994, and between 1989 and 1992 had worked in Athlone.
She confirmed she had become good friends with Liziwe Tongo. The witness said after not seeing Tongo for years, she had seen him at Century City while returning from work in September or October 2010.
She said the next time she saw him was about 3.30pm on November 13, 2010, the day of Anni’s murder, when she had been walking to a party in Sidima Circle, Khayelitsha.
“As I took a corner in order to get into the street in which the party was, I saw a car stationary. Looking at the vehicle, I saw it was [Tongo]. He alighted from the car. We greeted and hugged,” she said.
The witness said she asked why he was in Khayelitsha and he replied he was visiting friends.
“I said who are these friends? He showed me in the car… I looked in the car and saw two people,” she said.
The witness said one was Mngeni and she did not know the second man.
While testifying, she pointed to Mngeni, who was seated in the dock, saying he had been in the vehicle.
She said Tongo had been in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, while Mngeni and the other man had been on the back seat.
The witness said she had later made a statement to police and had also been part of an identification parade at the Manenberg police station where she had pointed out Tongo and Mngeni.
On Thursday, while cross-examining the witness, Mngeni’s legal representative, Matthews Dayimani, said: “The accused before court will deny you saw him in a beige motor vehicle at the time you state on November 13, 2010.”
The witness responded: “It is not something I’m making up.”
The trial continues on Monday, when a new witness is expected to be called to testify.
Cape Times