Dewani ‘extradition to S Africa on April 7’

Agencies/Cape TownHoneymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani will be extradited from Britain to South Africa, a South African justice department spokesman said yesterday.“The extradition process is now being handled by South African government through the justice department,” said spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga.The department of justice and constitutional development is liaising with Britain’s office of the home secretary to facilitate the extradition of Dewani, 33, he said. “We are now close to finalising the process. We expect him to leave London on April 7 and to land in South Africa on April 8,” Mhaga added.Dewani has been fighting a return to South Africa to face the charges, which he denies, over the death of his wife Anni, 28, in November 2010 in Cape Town.In January, he lost a high court appeal to block his extradition until he is fit to stand trial. He is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and a depressive illness. The judges ruled Dewani can be extradited as long as the South African government pledges to return him to the United Kingdom should he ultimately prove unfit to be tried.His lawyers had argued that he should not be extradited while he was fit to stand trial.Dewani is accused of hiring hit men to kill his wife during a taxi ride in Cape Town in November 2010, just over two weeks after their wedding.Taxi driver Zola Tongo confessed within weeks of the Anni’s death that he had hired two men to kill her.In a plea deal with South African authorities, Tongo said he was paid by Dewani to carry out the hit and to make it look as though the two were the victims of a carjacking as they were driving through a township on the edge of Cape Town.Tongo was subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison for his part in the killing.