News / International
Dewani to appear before UK court
30 Jul 2012 at 09:01hrs | Views
Honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani will appear before a UK court this week for a health assessment and not an extradition hearing, it was reported on Monday.
A decision on whether he would be ordered to return to Cape Town to stand trial was expected to be announced at a later date, the Cape Times reported.
Dewani has repeatedly denied arranging the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife, Anni, who was shot in an apparent car hijacking while on their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
In March, Britain's High Court temporarily halted Dewani's extradition on mental health grounds, saying it would be "unjust and oppressive".
At the time, the court said he would be extradited to South Africa as soon as he was fit. Dewani is being treated in a mental health hospital in his hometown of Bristol, western England.
According to the report, Anni's family said on their Facebook page [Anni Hindocha (aka Dewani) - What really happened]: "It's important to note that this is a procedural case management hearing, not the extradition hearing. That will be a further hearing.
"The key issues at the current hearing will be what parameters Judge [Howard] Riddle lays down for monitoring and assessing Dewani's alleged 'mental illness' symptoms."
Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila previously announced Dewani would appear at the Westminster Crown Court on Tuesday.
A decision on whether he would be ordered to return to Cape Town to stand trial was expected to be announced at a later date, the Cape Times reported.
Dewani has repeatedly denied arranging the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife, Anni, who was shot in an apparent car hijacking while on their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
In March, Britain's High Court temporarily halted Dewani's extradition on mental health grounds, saying it would be "unjust and oppressive".
At the time, the court said he would be extradited to South Africa as soon as he was fit. Dewani is being treated in a mental health hospital in his hometown of Bristol, western England.
According to the report, Anni's family said on their Facebook page [Anni Hindocha (aka Dewani) - What really happened]: "It's important to note that this is a procedural case management hearing, not the extradition hearing. That will be a further hearing.
"The key issues at the current hearing will be what parameters Judge [Howard] Riddle lays down for monitoring and assessing Dewani's alleged 'mental illness' symptoms."
Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila previously announced Dewani would appear at the Westminster Crown Court on Tuesday.
Source - Sapa
