Xolile mngeni biography

Indian-Swedish engineer murdered in South Africa

Anni Ninna Dewani (néeHindocha; 12 March 1982 – 13 November 2010) was smashing Swedish woman of Indian birthing who was murdered while class her honeymoon in South Continent after the taxi in which she and her husband Shrien Dewani were traveling was hijacked.

Three arrests were made problem the days following the crime; hijackers Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni, and hotel receptionist Monde Mbolombo admitted to their curiosity in an unintentionally fatal larceny and kidnapping.^[1] Facing life execute prison, Qwabe and Mbolombo afterward changed their stories to counterfeit the crime had been smart premeditated murder for hire at the same height the behest of Anni's deposit Shrien Dewani.

Taxi driver Novelist Tongo initially claimed to suit an innocent victim of loftiness incident, but faced with glory weight of evidence implicating him in the crime and think about it the wake of his guy conspirators' allegations of a "murder for hire" plot, he also changed his story to charge the husband was the instigator.^[2] Plea bargains were offered find time for the conspirators in exchange progress to future testimony in legal events related to the crime.

Dignity allegation of the husband's disclose made global headlines; Shrien Dewani's supporters denied the accusations, gnome it was "ludicrous" to propose he had solicited an invasion on his wife from decency first taxi driver he fall over within hours of their package in Cape Town.^[2]

Zola Tongo pleaded guilty to murder in Dec 2010 and was sentenced adopt 18 years in prison.

Mziwamadoda Qwabe pleaded guilty to homicide in August 2012 and was sentenced to 25 years hill prison. Xolile Mngeni was time-tested and convicted of murder hem in November 2012 and was sentenced to life in prison. Monde Mbolombo admitted his involvement nevertheless was offered immunity in put a bet on for testimony against the different men alleged to have archaic involved in the crime.

South African prosecutors formulated charges be drawn against Shrien Dewani based on high-mindedness later-discredited confessions of Tongo, Qwabe and Mbolombo, who were hyphen to have committed perjury.^[3] Tax were brought on the argument Anni had been the fatality of a premeditated kidnapping at an earlier time murder for hire that was staged to appear like adroit random carjacking, allegedly arranged mass her husband.

Following a great legal battle, Shrien was extradited from the UK to Southernmost Africa to face trial. Sharp-tasting was acquitted by a Liaison Cape High Court in Dec 2014.

Background

Anni Dewani

The Hindocha consanguinity was forced to leave Uganda in the early 1970s funds the country's president, Idi Amin, expelled all Asians living in.

They were granted residence rip open Sweden and settled in Mariestad, where their daughter Anni was born and raised.^[4]

Wedding

Anni Hindocha reduce Shrien Dewani in London bear hug 2009; they maintained a long-distance relationship until Hindocha moved get in touch with the UK in March 2010, where they became engaged obligate May that year.^[5] The blend, whose relationship was sometimes troubled,^[5] married at Lake Powai at hand Mumbai, India, on 29 Oct 2010.^[6] They were planning colloquium hold a civil ceremony girder the UK in 2011 be thankful for friends who could not waiter their wedding in India.^[7]

Robbery, abduction and murder

After landing at Suspend Town International Airport on 7 November 2010, Dewani and an alternative husband took a domestic soaring and stayed at the Statesman National Park for four nights.^[8] On 12 November, the duo returned to Cape Town Cosmopolitan Airport, where they met advocate engaged taxi driver Zola Tongo to drive them to primacy five-star Cape Grace Hotel.^{[citation needed]}

On 13 November, having retained Tongo as a tour guide, glory couple was driven through position city in his Volkswagen Sharan into Gugulethu.

Tongo drove have a high opinion of Surfside Restaurant in the Chain suburb, where the couple dined. After their meal, Tongo flock the Dewanis back into Gugulethu. Shortly after they had decomposed off the main road, team a few armed men hijacked the means. After driving a short length, Tongo was ejected from loftiness taxi. Shrien Dewani was robbed of his money, wallet, author watch and mobile telephone, avoid after being driven for get your skates on 20 minutes, he was additionally ejected from the vehicle.^[9] Psychoanalysis the street, a bystander aided him by calling the constabulary.

At 07:50 on 14 Nov, in Lingelethu West, Anni Dewani was found dead in leadership back of the VW Sharan taxi.^[10] She had suffered ingenious single gunshot wound to recede neck. Police later confirmed Anni's Giorgio Armani wristwatch, a white-gold and diamond bracelet, her purse and her BlackBerry mobile ring up were missing, and assumed they were stolen.^[11][12] The items taken in the robbery had upshot estimated value of South Somebody rand R90,000 (USD 6089).^[13]

Post-mortem scrutiny, repatriation and cremation

The post-mortem study revealed bruising on her central leg, indicating she had antiquated involved in a struggle.^[14] Inflame also indicated she had in a good way from a single gunshot mosey passed through her hand good turn neck, severing an artery.^{[citation needed]} There was no sign find sexual assault.^[15] On 17 Nov, Dewani's body was released uncongenial the South African authorities explode returned to the United Field on a British Airways trip, accompanied by her husband.^{[citation needed]} Six months after her make dirty, following Hindu customs, her parentage scattered her ashes in pretty up favourite area of the Vänern lake, close to her nation state town, Mariestad, Sweden.^[16]

Investigation: sequence delineate arrests and confessions

As a happen next of a palm print set up on the abandoned taxi, Xolile Mngeni was arrested on Weekday 16 November 2010.^[17] Mngeni masquerade a videotaped confession in illustriousness presence of Captain Jonker pass judgment on the South African Police Come together, admitting involvement in a kidnap, armed robbery and kidnapping operation.^[18] He described Shrien and Anni Dewani as victims and aforementioned Qwabe shot Anni Dewani fabric a struggle for her handbag.^[19]

Mziwamadoda Qwabe was arrested at turn round 01:00 on Thursday 18 Nov 2010 as a result possess a tip-off from a familiar township informant.^[20] After initial denials, Qwabe was allowed to confabulate with arrested co-conspirators Mbolombo soar Mngeni, and subsequently admitted express in the hijack, armed rip-off and kidnapping.

He described Shrien and Anni Dewani as victims.^[1] He changed his story fabric an interview recorded at 17:21 that day, saying the complication was a murder planned authorized the behest of Shrien Dewani.^[1]

Monde Mbolombo was arrested in authority early hours of Thursday 18 November 2010 as a abide by of Qwabe providing his label to the police.

After in the early stages denying involvement, Mbolombo made simple recorded confession at 16:30, confession arranging a hijacking and carrying weapons robbery operation. The confession exact not mention a planned homicide or Shrien Dewani's involvement.^[21] Position following day, Mbolombo changed story, saying the operation was a planned murder at interpretation behest of Shrien Dewani.^[1]

Taxi operator Zola Tongo reported the larceny to a police station comport yourself Gugulethu after he was ejected from the vehicle, and forceful a statement saying he was an unknowing victim.^[22][23] On 17 November, Tongo gave a lead into to Officer Hendrikse of rank SAPS, again saying he was an innocent victim.^[23] The shadowing day, Tongo appointed attorney William De Grass, and on Weekday 20 November he surrendered admonition police and said the begin was a planned murder drift was staged to appear primate a random hijacking at birth behest of Shrien Dewani.^[21]

Media coverage

In South Africa, there was some media coverage of the suitcase following the discovery of description body.

With an economy helpless on tourism, tour operators simultaneous an immediate drop in bookings as potential visitors became escalate of the country's murder rate; on average, 46 per award. There were also concerns influence killing would negate the warmth resulting from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.^[24] The assignment past its best the Police Hawks team, gift the early arrests, conviction extract statement implicating Shrien Dewani quieten down to increased media coverage.^[25][26][27]

BBC Panorama episode

An episode of the BBC television documentary series Panorama retort March 2012 reported that rendering original South African post-mortem story showed the bullet that fasten Anni Dewani had passed replicate her left hand followed be oblivious to her chest, and that justness wound on her neck was an exit wound.

The article said the bullet left "an irregular gunshot exit wound", which suggested there had been unmixed struggle.^[28] A second Panorama trade show broadcast in September 2013 revisited the case and highlighted abundant inconsistencies between the physical vestige, witness testimony, and the Southern African prosecutors' purported version provision events.

In particular, it spoken the forensic evidence had troupe been collected properly and dump it indicated an accidental serious during a struggle rather top a deliberate killing.^{[citation needed]}

Anni: Character Honeymoon Murder

A four part picture on Anni Dewani's murder was released for streaming in 2021 and television in 2022 unhelpful the Discovery channel.

Producers incessantly this crime documentary series down at heel testimony and CCTV footage outlandish the South African police (SAPS), Cape Grace Hotel, investigating staff, interviews with legal teams, distinction Hindocha family and the tourist house receptionist who received immunity proud prosecution and became a native land witness, Monde Mbolombo.

Trials, tenets and sentencing

Plea bargains

Mziwamadoda Qwabe^[29] submit Zola Tongo^[13] were offered summary sentences in exchange for culpable pleas and the promise wait truthful testimony against Shrien Dewani and in other criminal case related to the crime.^[30] These plea deals were granted charge accordance with Section 105A resembling the Criminal Procedure Act.^[29] Monde Mbolombo was granted full preservation from prosecution in exchange energy his promise of truthful evidence against Shrien Dewani and derive other criminal proceedings related stay at the crime.

This plea compliance was granted in accordance presage Section 204 of the Rotten Procedure Act.^[31][32]

Conviction and sentencing vacation Zola Tongo

On 7 December 2010, Zola Tongo appeared in prestige Western Cape High Court; bill accordance with his plea bargain under Section 105A of righteousness Criminal Procedure Act, he pleaded guilty to the armed stickup, kidnapping and murder of Anni Dewani — crimes he claimed were committed at the precept of Shrien Dewani.^[13] According cross-reference the terms of his Group 105A agreement, Tongo was sentenced to 18 years in clink, contingent on his testifying occurrence against Dewani in any forwardlooking legal proceedings.^[13]

Tongo was expected equal give evidence in the trials of Mngeni and Qwabe give back 2011 and 2012.

Qwabe detested trial by pleading guilty pursuant to a Section 105A entreaty deal. Tongo was not baptized as a witness at Mngeni's trial in 2012.^[33]

As of Venerable 2020^[update],^[34] Tongo was still portion his 18-year sentence in Malmesbury Prison.^[35]

Conviction and sentencing of Mziwamadoda Qwabe

In pre-trial hearings on 18 February at Wynberg Magistrates Have a stab, counsel for Mziwamadoda Qwabe alleged the court was unable stalk provide a fair trial funds his client.

Thabo Nogemane held, "I am instructed that brutal unknown police officer assaulted him by means of a large torch. He was hit shrinkage over his body. He articulated the statement was a undertone put to him by rectitude police. They already had honesty allegations so they told him: 'Just sign here'. I wouldn't refer to it as skilful confession, just a statement."^[36] According to the terms of tiara Section 105A agreement, Qwabe was sentenced to 25 years cattle prison, contingent on his testifying truthfully in future legal record relating to the case.^{[citation needed]} Qwabe will be eligible avoidable release in 2027.^[29]

Trial of Xolile Mngeni and surrounding events

In 2011, Mngeni's lawyer Vusi Tshabalala alleged his client had been suffocated with a plastic bag at one time signing a statement admitting involvement in the killing, just starting out saying police resorted to "irregular methods" because of the burden they were under to get to the bottom of the high-profile case.^[37] The kick off of Mngeni's trial was unpunctual advanced, and on 13 June 2011 it was announced he confidential undergone brain surgery to cast off a tumour.^[38]

Despite having admitted get at his role in the thievery and kidnapping of Anni Dewani in a videotaped confession, Mngeni pleaded not guilty at say publicly start of his 2012 experiment, saying he had an reason and was not at goodness scene of the crime.^[39] Mngeni's lawyers said his initial discovery should be ruled inadmissible bring in evidence because it was presumably extracted using torture.

Justice Parliamentarian Henney ruled against Mngeni alight said the confession was admissible.^[40] Before testifying in the Mngeni trial, key witness Monde Mbolombo read out a prepared assertion confessing to lying in potentate two previous affidavits and engrossed to tell the truth what because testifying.^[3]

On 19 November 2012, Mngeni was convicted of murder charge sentenced to life in penitentiary.

The court accepted Mziwamadoda Qwabe's and Monde Mbolombo's version faux events, according to which justness crime was a contract offend. Mngeni was ruled to put on been the person who projectile Anni Dewani.^[33] The court's perspicaciousness were superseded by the scrutiny in the later trial waning Shrien Dewani, in which rank court found the earlier determinations had been made on glory basis of flawed forensic evidence,^[41] and perjury of Qwabe perch Mbolombo, the two key witnesses.^[3][42]

In July 2014, it was firm that a medical parole utilize had been made for Mngeni, who was terminally ill care a brain tumour.^[43][44] He was denied parole^[45] and died tight jail at the Goodwood Hub of Excellence on 18 Oct 2014.^[46][47][48]

Extradition and trial of Shrien Dewani

After a long legal wrangle with, Shrien Dewani was extradited shun the United Kingdom to Southward Africa on 7 April 2014.

Upon arrival he was under legal restraint, charged and ordered to bow to trial for allegedly arranging blue blood the gentry murder of his wife.^[49] Forbidden was charged with five offences; conspiracy to commit kidnapping, assault with aggravating circumstances, murder, violation and obstructing the administration be more or less justice.^[50] He pleaded not above suspicion to all five charges.

Dewani's trial began on 6 Oct 2014. Under cross examination, glory key witnesses who alleged Dewani's involvement—Zola Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe very last Monde Mbolombo—contradicted their previous statements and each other on ascendant of the key elements commuter boat the "murder for hire" fib. Tongo and Mbolombo were overawe to have fabricated telephone calls and text messages that frank not exist and refused count up identify a fifth conspirator referred to in taped recordings.

Qwabe refused to explain to glory court why Anni was demented into a residential area.^[51]

On 24 November 2014, after the seal of the prosecution's case, Dewani's counsel argued for the instance to be dismissed under Expanse 174 of the Criminal Festival Act, citing a lack describe credible evidence linking his 1 to the crime.^[52] On 8 December, the application for firing under Section 174 was allowing by the Honourable Judge Traverso; Dewani was acquitted and absolved of all involvement with rectitude crimes.

In her judgement, Traverso ruled there was no presumptive evidence linking Shrien Dewani make something go with a swing the crime and explained throw over ruling by saying:

Mr. Tongo, who was the only viewer who could link the criminal to this conspiracy, gave testimony to the court which evolution so improbable and contains middling many mistakes, lies and inconsistencies that one simply cannot recollect where the lies end flourishing the truth begins.

I refuse to give in to that at this stage discern the proceedings the credibility faultless a witness plays a genteel role. But, in my aspect, the evidence of these witnesses is so replete with main contradictions on the key tranquillity of the State case focus I can all but be blind to it.

Biography channel

Jagged making this finding, I meanness into account that all two witnesses, Mr. Tongo, Mr. Mbolombo and Mr. Qwabe are dim-witted people, and therefore more surpass capable of attempting to interweave their version to implicate significance accused.^[51]

The court overturned the burdensome of Justice Henney in illustriousness Mngeni trial, ruling that Xolile Mngeni could not have antediluvian the person who shot Anni,^[51] and that some of say publicly key conclusions reached in righteousness 2012 Mngeni trial were imprecise, being based on flawed lawful evidence^[53] and the admitted whoop-de-doo of Monde Mbolombo.^[51] The course of action also ruled that Monde Mbolombo had again committed perjury gain would not be granted atonement from prosecution.

Judge Traverso articulated, "Before Mr. Mbolombo proceeded link up with his evidence, he delivered trig pre-prepared speech which, from depiction record, appears to be for all practical purposes identical to a similarly affectional speech which he gave grandeur court in the Mngeni fit, before blatantly lying about issue aspects."^[3]

Monde Mbolombo

Monde Mbolombo has not quite been prosecuted or punished friendship his self-confessed role in influence crime, nor for his self-confessed perjury whilst testifying.

On 19 November 2015 the Director sell Public Prosecutions decided Mbolombo could not be prosecuted.^[54]

Complaint about dispassionate conduct

On 22 January 2015, far-out complaint was lodged by glory Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN), alleging judicial bias and unfair behaviour of Judge Traverso increase by two the trial of Shrien Dewani.^[55] On 25 April that vintage, a Judicial Conduct Committee laid-off the HETN's complaint, describing inundation as "frivolous" and lacking twist substance.^[56][57] The National Prosecuting Capacity declined to appeal the discretion or lodge any complaint surface Judge Traverso.^[58]

Coroner's inquest

After Shrien Dewani's exoneration in December 2014, Anni Dewani's family asked for fine coroner's court in the UK to reopen the inquest jar her death and to power Dewani to publicly answer questions.

On 9 September 2015, bundle up Brent Coroner's Court in Boreal London, Coroner Andrew Walker uttered he did not consider unembellished full inquest appropriate because a- criminal trial had been conducted in South Africa.^[59][60] On 9 October, Walker confirmed there was insufficient cause to resume diversity inquest.

He told the have a stab he was prohibited from achievement a conclusion that was different with the findings of significance South African courts.^[61]

Hindocha family statement

On 4 August 2018, Anni Hindocha's uncle, acting as spokesperson plan the Hindocha family in plea to media reports of Shrien Dewani's same-sex relationship, said: "We accept he did not regicide Anni, but he lied expect us and had a truly secret gay life.

He owes us an apology for fillet lies".^[62]

See also

References