Shrien Dewani prosecutors presented ‘no credible evidence’, court told

Defence barrister says state prosecutors relied on testimonies of self-confessed killers who contradicted each other in evidence

Shrien Dewani arriving at the Western Cape high court for his trial for murder of his wife Anni. Photograph: Adrian De Kock / Barcroft Media

The prosecution of Shrien Dewani for his wife’s murder in a South African township hijacking is fundamentally flawed, the Briton’s lawyers have claimed in court.

Shrien Dewani’s South African accusers have presented “no credible evidence” to connect the 34-year-old businessman with the 2010 murder of his wife Anni, his defence claimed.

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) instead relied during the seven-week trial on the testimonies of three self-confessed killers whose evidence contradicted each other significantly, Dewani’s barrister, Francois van Zyl, said.

Van Zyl pointed to the testimony of the only witness, taxi driver Zola Tongo, who spoke to the Briton about the alleged plot to murder Anni Dewani.

But Tongo’s evidence, Van Zyl told the court, was “of such poor quality that it cannot be relied upon”.

“The whole case against the accused is based on conspiracy,” the lawyer continued. “The foundation of the state’s case is the conspiracy. If it collapses, the whole case goes with it.”

Van Zyl was speaking at the close of the prosecution’s case and as part of a lengthy argument for why Shrien Dewani’s murder case should be discharged for lack of compelling evidence.

Cape Town’s high court is expected to hear the NPA’s counter-argument on Monday afternoon, during which it is expected to attempt to convince judge Jeanette Traverso to allow the case to continue.

Traverso is expected to rule on the discharge application in the coming days.

Dewani denies being involved in the hijack and murder of his wife in a planned hijacking in Cape Town’s Gugulethu township in November 2010.

The case continues.