British police detain Dewani at SA's request

According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, officers from England's Metropolitan Police's extradition unit detained Dewani on behalf of the South African authorities. It says he surrendered himself at a Bristol police station and was arrested under a Provisional Arrest Warrant issued earlier, on suspicion of conspiring to murder his wife. He is due to appear in custody at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court today. The businessman faces being extradited to SA, notes the report. Full report in The Daily Telegraph

The Western Cape High Court was told yesterday Dewani had arranged his wife's murder. The allegation was made by taxi driver Zola Tongo, who was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to the murder and claiming that Shrien Dewani - who later labelled the allegation as 'insane' (see report below) - had recruited him to find people to assist with a staged hijacking which would end with his wife's death. According to a Mail & Guardian Online report, Tongo said he met the Dewani couple at the Cape Town airport. After dropping the newly-weds at a hotel, Shrien approached him alone and asked him if he knew of anyone that could 'have a client taken off the scene'. Tongo, who is a first-time offender and stood to get R1 000 for assisting, then found a friend, Monde Molombo, who put him in touch with the murder accused. Molombo said he wanted R5 000 for putting Tongo in touch with Mziwamadoda Qwabe, who was later arrested for the murder. Tongo and Shrien contrived a plot to simulate a hijacking, said Tongo. On the night of the murder, 13 November, the plan went awry when the appointed killers were not waiting in Gugulethu as agreed. So they drove out to the Strand and had a meal and made a later arrangement in Gugulethu. Cellphone records and one SMS reveal Shrien's involvement. In his statement, Tongo said he sent a text to Shrien that he should not forget about the money. He answered by text that the R15 000 was in an envelope in a pouch behind the passenger seat. Full Mail and Guardian Online report

The allegations were described as 'totally absurd and insane' by Dewani through his publicist Max Clifford. Speaking to Sky News on behalf of Dewani, Clifford said: '(These) allegations are totally ludicrous, extremely convenient for SA and hurtful for a young man (who is) grieving.' He added, according to a report on the News24 site: 'He wants justice for the murder of his wife, he wants the truth to come out. Very little truth has come out of SA about this whole matter.' Full report on the News24 site

Dewani's family claims he is 'wholly innocent'. According to a statement issued by Clifford, the family said: 'Shrien is wholly innocent of any involvement in this heinous crime. These allegations are totally ludicrous, extremely convenient for SA and very hurtful to a young man who is grieving the loss of the woman he loved, his chosen life partner.' According to a report in The Citizen, Clifford said the SA police had not even sought to speak to Dewani regarding the allegations. 'Instead two weeks has been spent 'negotiating' this confession from the taxi driver whilst the other accused have complained of torture and forced confessions.' Full report in The Citizen

Even Cosatu has felt the need to comment on the latest revelation, saying it hoped the implication of a non-South African in the matter would help restore the country's reputation. 'Let us hope that the swift and efficient way in which this case has been dealt with, and the fact that it is now becoming clear that it was planned by a non-South African, will help to restore the country's reputation to the levels we achieved during and after the World Cup,' the union federation said in a statement recorded on the News24 site. Full report on the News24 site