Anni Dewani

Who was Anni Dewani?

Anni Ninna Dewani was a Swedish woman who, while on her honeymoon in South Africa, was kidnapped and then murdered in Gugulethu township near Cape Town on 13 November 2010. Taxi driver Zola Robert Tongo later admitted guilt on the charges of murder in a plea bargain, and was sentenced on 7 December 2010, to 18 years in jail. Mziwamadoda Qwabe pleaded guilty to her murder in August 2012 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Xolile Mngeni, 23, was convicted of her murder on 19 November 2012, and sentenced to life in jail. In July 2014, it was confirmed that a medical parole application had been made for Mngeni who is terminally ill with a brain tumour.

In his plea bargain agreement, Zola Tongo stated that Anni's husband, British national Shrien Dewani of Bristol, had offered R15,000 to have his wife killed. Following an application by South African authorities, Senior District Judge Howard Riddle ruled in August 2011 that Shrien Dewani could be extradited to face charges in relation to the murder. The extradition order was approved by Home Secretary Theresa May on 28 September 2011.