Dewani, is accused of having his wife murdered during their honeymoon in South Africa
Shrien Dewani, right, the man accused of having his wife murdered during their honeymoon in South Africa, arrives at Belmarsh magistrates court. Photo- AP
Johannesburg: A 33-year-old Indian-origin British businessman, accused of plotting the murder of his Indo-Swedish wife on their honeymoon in Cape Town, will be extradited from the UK on April 7, the South African government said today.
Shrien Dewani has been fighting a return to South Africa to face the charges, which he denies, over the death of his
wife Anni, 28, in November 2010.
"The extradition process is now being handled by South African government through the justice department," South
African Justice Ministry spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said.
He said the department was liaising with the office of the Home Secretary in Britain to facilitate the extradition.
"We are working tirelessly to ensure that his return to our shores brings to finality this protracted legal process."
Mhaga could not confirm the day Dewani was expected to arrive in the country, South African Press Association (SAPA)
news agency reported.
However, the BBC reported that Dewani is expected to leave London and arrive in Cape Town on April 8.
Dewani had lost his final appeal against extradition at the start of March which triggered a 28-day period during
which he must be extradited.
His legal team had wanted the appeal to be heard in the highest court in the land - the Supreme Court - but this was
refused by a panel of judges.
The businessman is being compulsorily detained under the Mental Health Act after being diagnosed as suffering from
severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In January, the High Court ruled it would not be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Dewani providing that assurances
were received from South Africa about the length of time he would be kept in the country without trial.
Those assurances have been given, the report said.
Prosecutors in South Africa allege Dewani ordered the killing of his wife, who was a Swedish national.
The charge dates back to November 2010 when the pair were held at gunpoint while driving through Gugulethu, a township
near Cape Town, in a taxi.
Dewani escaped unharmed but his wife's body was found the following day.
Three men have been convicted over Dewani's death.
South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting her and jailed for life. Prosecutors
claimed he was hired to carry out the killing.
The couple's taxi driver Zola Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the killing and another
accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, also pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
( Source : PTI )
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