UK tourist pays for bride's murder in South Africa
South African taxi driver Zola Tongo, 31, who made the allegation, was on Tuesday sentenced to an effective 18 years in jail.
The South African Press Association (SAPA) reported on a plea agreement made between Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Rodney de Kock, and Tongo.
"The deceased was murdered at the instance of her husband," de Kock told Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe.
The prosecutor told the court the alleged hijacking on the couple's vehicle in Gugulethu near Cape Town Nov.13 was in fact not a hijacking.
He said it was part of a plan of subterfuge which Shrien Dewani, the husband of the deceased, and the accused had designed to conceal the true facts.
The court heard that Tongo took the couple from Cape Town International Airport to the Cape Grace hotel on the city's Waterfront on Nov. 12.
At the hotel, Shrien asked Tongo to procure a hitman to have "a woman" killed for 15,000 rands.
"After some discussion with him, I understood that he wanted someone, a woman, killed.Later that day he spoke to a friend about arranging a hitman, Tongo said. The friend put him in touch with the other two men who have been arrested in the case. They met in Tongo's vehicle in Khayelitsha, near Gugulethu, on the afternoon of Nov. 13.
"We agreed that Shrien Dewani and I would be ejected from the vehicle and that the female occupant had to be killed."
The driver said he picked up Shrien and Anni at the hotel that night and took them to some "city sights," before going to the intersection in Gugulethu where the hitmen were supposed to be.
Not finding the hitmen there, she continued in the direction of Somerset West where the Dewanis had supper.
"Prior to entering the restaurant, Shrien Dewani asked me what was happening and said he wanted the job done that night."
Tongo said that while the Dewanis were having supper, one of the hitmen called him and confirmed they would be at the agreed location.
The hitmen were waiting as arranged at an intersection in Gugulethu.
At that point they carried out the fake hijacking and drove for a short distance before ordering Tongo out of the vehicle.
"They then drove off with Shrien Dewani and the deceased still in the vehicle."Tongo said he knew that the hitmen would not harm Shrien Dewani and that he would be dropped off at some further point.
No motive for the crime was suggested, although UK media reported that Shrien Dewani's health food store chain was in financial trouble, Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version.