Anni Dewani’s family decries parole for honeymoon bride murder case convict

Johannesburg: The family of Anni Dewani, the Indian-origin bride who was brutally murdered in Cape Town during her honeymoon in 2010, has decried the parole granted to her killer by the South African authorities.

The Department of Correctional Services said Zola Tongo, who had helped arrange Anni Dewani’s murder, allegedly at the behest of her husband Shrien Dewani, had served the prescribed minimum sentence, making him eligible to be released.

Anni, a Swedish citizen, was found dead in a taxi near a Cape Town township barely days after her marriage to the British businessman.

The Parole Board said Tongo had met all the prescribed rehabilitation requirements after serving 11 years of his 18-year sentence.

During the trial that caused global outrage, Tongo initially denied any involvement, but later told the court that Shrien Dewani had paid him R15,000 to arrange his wife’s murder and make it look like a botched hijacking. He then hired hijackers Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni to carry out the murder.

Qwabe was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment after pleading guilty, while Mngeni was sentenced to life in prison. Shrien Dewani, who was extradited from Britain, was later acquitted by the Cape Town high court due to insufficient evidence.

Anni’s family has described the parole decision as “a grave mistake”, which they said will allow another criminal back into society.

“The parole body is sending a very strong message that people must go ahead and commit crimes. I don’t think this is the right way to reduce the crime rate in South Africa. On the contrary, it is actually encouraging people to commit the crimes,” Anni’s uncle Ashok Hindocha told radio station 702 by telephone.

Hindocha said their family felt betrayed by the South African justice system and were disappointed as they continued their path to find closure in the matter.