LONDON, (Reuters) – A British businessman accused of arranging for his wife to be murdered while they were on honeymoon in Cape Town can be extradited to face trial in South Africa, a court ruled on Wednesday.
Millionaire Shrien Dewani, 33, is accused of conspiring to kill his wife, Anni, who was shot in November 2010 when the taxi the couple were travelling in was hijacked in the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town.
Since returning to Britain, Dewani has fought extradition proceedings, arguing that he is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and is too unwell to be sent to South Africa for trial.
“It may be a long time before Mr Dewani is fit to plead, but he may be closer to that point,” said Howard Riddle, chief magistrate at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London in his ruling on Wednesday.
Dewani still has a chance to appeal again against his extradition and his legal team must lodge an application within 14 days.
Anni Dewani was found dead in the back of the abandoned cab with a bullet wound to her neck after cabbie Zola Tongo drove the newlyweds to the township.
