Shasown
21-02-2011, 12:53 AM
A top South African legal official has sparked a storm over attempts to extradite honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani by declaring the Briton's guilt on national television
The director of public prosecutions, Menzi Semelani, told SABC that Dewani had committed a "heinous crime".
Dewani's publicist, Max Clifford, said the comments were "absolutely frightening" and showed that his client had good reason to fear that he would not get a fair trial in South Africa.
In a lengthy interview on the extradition process, Mr Semelani said: "This is a pure criminal matter of somebody who murdered his wife whilst he should be celebrating his honeymoon."
He also accused Dewani of being a fugitive.
"As a matter of fact Mr Dewani is a fugitive because he ran away, he ran out of a country, there was a warrant of arrest for him so as a fugitive we then informed Interpol that we would like an international arrest warrant issued for him."
But Mr Clifford said his client had left South Africa with the full consent of the South African authorities three weeks before an arrest warrant was issued.
Mr Semelani's comments follow those of the police chief, Bheki Cele, who prompted outrage by describing Mr Dewani as a "monkey" who came from London to murder his wife.
Dewani, 31, is accused of arranging the contract killing of his wife during their honeymoon in November in Cape Town.
Anni Dewani's body was found with a single bullet wound to the neck hours after the couple's hired vehicle was carjacked in the township of Gugulethu.
Dewani denies the charges and is fighting attempts to extradite him from the UK.
His lawyers are expected to argue that he will not receive a fair trial in South Africa.
"The chief of police has already condemned him as a murdering monkey, and now the chief prosecutor," Mr Clifford said.
"Can you imagine if that happened in this country?"
Mr Semelani's comments passed unnoticed in South Africa until they were flagged up by Mr Clifford's team.
It is not unusual for South African police and prosecutors to make statements that would be considered prejudicial in the UK legal system.
Criminal trials in South Africa are presided over by a panel of judges without juries, so there is considered to be less danger of prejudicing the rights of suspects to a fair hearing.
Dewani has been unable to attend the preliminary extradition hearings in the UK because his doctors say he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The next hearing is due to be held at Westminster Magistrates Court on March 23.
The two alleged "hitmen" in the case are due to appear in court in Cape Town on February 25
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110220/twl-prosecutor-dewani-guilty-of-heinous-3fd0ae9.html
What do you think, if Dewani gets extradited to South Africa to stand trial will he get a fair trial?
The director of public prosecutions, Menzi Semelani, told SABC that Dewani had committed a "heinous crime".
Dewani's publicist, Max Clifford, said the comments were "absolutely frightening" and showed that his client had good reason to fear that he would not get a fair trial in South Africa.
In a lengthy interview on the extradition process, Mr Semelani said: "This is a pure criminal matter of somebody who murdered his wife whilst he should be celebrating his honeymoon."
He also accused Dewani of being a fugitive.
"As a matter of fact Mr Dewani is a fugitive because he ran away, he ran out of a country, there was a warrant of arrest for him so as a fugitive we then informed Interpol that we would like an international arrest warrant issued for him."
But Mr Clifford said his client had left South Africa with the full consent of the South African authorities three weeks before an arrest warrant was issued.
Mr Semelani's comments follow those of the police chief, Bheki Cele, who prompted outrage by describing Mr Dewani as a "monkey" who came from London to murder his wife.
Dewani, 31, is accused of arranging the contract killing of his wife during their honeymoon in November in Cape Town.
Anni Dewani's body was found with a single bullet wound to the neck hours after the couple's hired vehicle was carjacked in the township of Gugulethu.
Dewani denies the charges and is fighting attempts to extradite him from the UK.
His lawyers are expected to argue that he will not receive a fair trial in South Africa.
"The chief of police has already condemned him as a murdering monkey, and now the chief prosecutor," Mr Clifford said.
"Can you imagine if that happened in this country?"
Mr Semelani's comments passed unnoticed in South Africa until they were flagged up by Mr Clifford's team.
It is not unusual for South African police and prosecutors to make statements that would be considered prejudicial in the UK legal system.
Criminal trials in South Africa are presided over by a panel of judges without juries, so there is considered to be less danger of prejudicing the rights of suspects to a fair hearing.
Dewani has been unable to attend the preliminary extradition hearings in the UK because his doctors say he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The next hearing is due to be held at Westminster Magistrates Court on March 23.
The two alleged "hitmen" in the case are due to appear in court in Cape Town on February 25
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110220/twl-prosecutor-dewani-guilty-of-heinous-3fd0ae9.html
What do you think, if Dewani gets extradited to South Africa to stand trial will he get a fair trial?