LONDON, (Reuters) – A British businessman accused of arranging for his wife to be murdered while they were on honeymoon in Cape Town has lost an appeal against his extradition to South Africa to face trial.
The High Court ruled on Friday that it would not be oppressive or unjust to send back millionaire Shrien Dewani – who is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder – so long as the South African government agreed to let him return to Britain if he were found to be unfit to be tried.
Dewani, 33, is accused of conspiring to kill his wife, Anni, a Swedish national, 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, he has been fighting extradition proceedings, arguing that he is too unwell to be sent back for trial.
Speaking outside the court, the dead woman’s cousin Amit Karia welcomed the verdict. “It’s a step closer to finally getting justice for our Anni,” he told reporters.