“Is this how justice is supposed to work?” Anni Dewani’s uncle asked after the long-awaited murder trial was postponed, again.
|||The family of murdered honeymoon bride Anni Dewani on Wednesday night slammed the latest agonising setback in their quest for justice.
They spoke out as it was confirmed that the long-awaited murder trial in the Mother City will NOT now go ahead as planned on Monday.
“Is this how justice is supposed to work?” Anni’s uncle Ashok Hindocha asked when informed of the latest developments by the Daily Voice.
“There are too many people involved. There are the British and the South African authorities and then there are the health authorities.
“But it is quite simple actually – you are either guilty or you are not guilty.
“All we want to know is what happened to Anni.
“The aspects are all there. There were five people in the vehicle, why don’t they come forward and tell us what happened because the rest is all speculation?”
Ashok and his family have now cancelled plans to travel to Cape Town for the trial.
He was speaking just hours after the two men allegedly hired to murder the beautiful young bride appeared in the Western Cape High Court.
The purpose of Wednesday’s court appearance was simply to ensure that alleged hitmen Xolile Wellington Mngeni, 24; Mziwamadoda Lennox Qwabe, 25, and their legal teams were ready to proceed with the trial on Monday.
But the much-delayed trial received another setback when Mngeni’s lawyer, Matthews Dayimani, convinced the court to postpone the matter for medical reasons.
Dayimani told Judge Robert Henney that his client had difficulty staying awake and concentrating.
He told the court he wanted Mngeni to have a consultation with a neuropsychologist who would be able to tell the court if his client was fit to stand trial.
Dayimani said that Mngeni was able to understand what was happening around him and he understood the reason he was on trial.
But he added: “The problem is that it will be a lengthy trial and he will be required to sit for extended periods… what if he falls asleep and is unable to give me instructions.”
Last year, Mngeni was treated for brain cancer.
There were concerns he would not survive to stand trial.
But a letter from his doctor later confirmed he was recovering well.
Cops claim Mngeni and Qwabe were hired by Anni’s husband Shrien Dewani to kill her.
They face charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder and the illegal possession of a gun and ammunition.
Anni was shot dead in an alleged fake hijacking on November 13, 2010.
Dewani is wanted here to face charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder after he was implicated in his new wife’s murder.
*This article was published in the Daily Voice