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 Court hears Dewani paid just R16,000 for his wife to be murdered - R1,000 to Tongo, R5,000 each to Mngeni and Qwabe and R5,000 to the man who introduced Tongo to Mngeni and Qwabe 

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The shock revelations emerged yesterday in the Western Cape high court when the Dewani driver, Zola Tongo, pleaded guilty to murder, robbery, kidnapping and obstructing the administration of justice.

After the case, an unidentified policeman told journalists that the government had already applied to extradite Dewani. But police spokesperson Andre Traut later declined to confirm this.

As expected, Tongo turned state witness against his two fellow accused, Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, and entered a plea bargain with the state.

He said Dewani paid just R16,000 in total for his wife to be murdered - R1,000 to Tongo, R5,000 each to Mngeni and Qwabe and R5,000 to the man who introduced Tongo to Mngeni and Qwabe.

Tongo was immediately sentenced yesterday by Cape Judge President John Hlophe to an effective 18 years in prison.

Anni Dewani's elderly father, Vinod Hindocha, flew from Sweden to attend Tongo's sentencing.

Hindocha broke down in tears as he took his seat in court, and after the sentencing embraced Western Cape director of public prosecutions Rodney de Kock, before breaking down again.

He later had to be helped out of the court by his brother Ashok Hindocha.

Tongo's confession was read by prosecutor Rodney de Kock.

He said Dewani, 31, who had just married his wife Anni, 28, two weeks earlier, had planned the "hit".

"The alleged hijacking was not a hijacking but part of a subterfuge. Anni was murdered on the instruction of her husband," De Kock said.

Tongo, who works as a driver for the airport shuttle service in Cape Town, admitted that on November 12 he had driven the couple to the Cape Grace Hotel.

"After we arrived Shrien Dewani approached me alone and asked me if I knew anyone who could have a client taken off the scene.

"After some discussion I understood that he was asking me to kill the woman."

He said he would pay R15,000 but that he only had American dollars. He wanted a place where he could change the money into rands without producing his passport.

"The money was changed and the next day he told me how it should be done. The plan was for us to be left unharmed while Anni is kidnapped, robbed and killed," said Tongo's statement.

Tongo organised Qwabe and Mngeni for the hit. The two pounced in Gugulethu.

Anni was found murdered in Tongo's car several hours later.

Tongo was given 25 years for murder, 15 for robbery, five for kidnapping, and another five years for obstructing justice. The sentences are to run concurrently and seven years of the total were suspended for five years.

Comments

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Wed Dec 08 18:12:46 SAST 2010 ::

2010/12/08

Charmaboy

Just bring back the bastard to South Africa. He tarnished our country 's name and should be punished for that!.
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2010/12/08

tpaz

Zola Tongo is not a credible state witness...he has already been convicted . he has nothing to lose by smearing Dewani....

I still believe Dewani is innocent.
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2010/12/08

BeeM

Charmaboy True that, I think heshould be brought to mzansi and given free to the lion in one of our Zoos or national parks.....!

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2010/12/08

Baleli

I am at a loss of words... Dewani went on about how he loved his wife, probably made love, had dinner together and all with a straight face to a woman he was planning to kill...
Are humans turning out to be barbarians or what?
The people that got the money, is R5000 more than enough for the number of years they will spend behind bars?

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2010/12/08

Peipara

@tpaz, what would be the motive for Tongo to kill her, he was only a taxi driver. This is clear, Dewani wanted his wife dead, maybe because it was an arranged marriage and he wasn't happy or maybe he wanted to claim from life insurance
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2010/12/08

TumeKhau

All the the bad things are directed to our country South africa, by the British people but not all of them. We hosted the successful soccer World cup, Rugby, Cricket etc, nothing of this incident took place, some months before the kick-off of the World cup, the British were advised to take policies because they will be attacked, meaning they will subjected to all inhuman acts, but why ?. This British citizen choose to come to our country to commit this crime, Why ? British were told to wear bullet proof-vests, to be on the look-out especially black people, but why ?. The time is now if not over that this country be named AZANIA...

Sello Mapeka(QwaQwa)
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2010/12/08

Catty88

I give up!
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2010/12/08

TruthTeller

I think the judge was too lenient to Mr Tongo. He should rot in jail, and life sentence was the right justice. The law should take its course they must extradite this bastart Dewani and he must also rot in jail
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2010/12/08

JUBJUB

He must come back to Mzanzi and confess what he did to his wife.
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2010/12/08

Aqua

I thought only women where capable of killing their spouses,but as from now,i see that marriage is a dog eats dog industry.Check Mulalo,Dewani...eish###
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