Cop testifies on Dewani statement

Warrant Officer George Stefanus, the standby investigator on November 13, 2010, was called as the State's fifth witness to testify on the statement he took from Dewani after the hijacking in Gugulethu, Cape Town.

 

Dewani is accused of masterminding the murder of his wife Anni during their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.

 

He has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him, maintaining that the couple were the victims of a hijacking.

 

Xolile Mngeni is serving life in jail for pulling the trigger and killing Anni, while Mziwamadoda Qwabe is serving a 25-year jail term, and shuttle taxi driver Zola Tongo 18 years.

 

Stefanus said the hijacking was reported by Tongo, who told him he picked up two tourists in Cape Town and that they were attacked on their way back from Somerset West.

 

Stefanus's concern at that stage was the lives of the two tourists and they went to the Cape Grace Hotel in town to positively identify them.

 

At the hotel, Dewani met the group of policemen and Stefanus took a witness statement from him in a small room in the hotel because he wanted to find out where the perpetrators were.

 

"As I say, when he came down he was neatly dressed and stuff, but you could see he was a bit emotional," Stefanus told prosecutor Adrian Mopp.

 

He asked Dewani whether he was willing to talk about what happened and then listened to him from start to finish before asking questions and taking down notes.

 

Dewani apparently told him that Anni spoke to Tongo about the townships and then insisted that he take them to see the nightlife there.

 

He said Anni removed her wedding rings and put them under the car seat when they were attacked.

 

Stefanus said Dewani told him the total value of their stolen property was R40,000.

 

Mopp asked if Dewani was able to speak to him despite being emotional.

 

The policeman replied that Dewani was able to tell him everything in English and that after writing down the gist of what was being said to him, he checked with Dewani to make sure it was correct.

 

The interview took 45 minutes and Stefanus wrote down 4.10am at the bottom of the statement to indicate when it was concluded.

 

He said the statement was stamped when he dropped it off at the station the following day.

 

Mopp asked whether Dewani took the oath when making the statement.

 

"No, he didn't put up his hand. He didn't do that," Stefanus replied.