London, Feb. 8: The date for the extradition case for Indian-origin British businessman, Mr Shrien Dewani, who is accused of allegedly ordering the murder of his new wife during honeymoon in Cape Town, was on Tuesday set for May 3 by presiding judge, Mr Howard Riddle.
The 31-year-old has been accused by the South African police of ordering his wife Anni’s murder during honeymoon in Cape Town. Mr Dewani, from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, faces charges of conspiracy to murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances and obstruction of the administration of justice.
Anni, 28, who was a Swedish citizen, was shot dead when the taxi she and her husband were travelling in was hijacked in the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town on November 13 last year. Mr Dewani was implicated by taxi driver Zola Tongo who claimed that the British businessman had paid him 15,000 rands to hire two hit men to shoot Anni.
Mr Dewani, who according to his legal team is suffering from acute post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive adjustment disorder, did not attend the hearing at Belmarsh magistrates’ court held at Woolwich crown court on Tuesday.
His lawyer, Mr Julian Knowles, said that he is not well enough to take part in the court proceedings as he “is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and is clinically depressed.” “One of the questions that needs to be resolved is whether Mr Dewani is well enough to take part in these extradition proceedings,” he told the court.