‘Honeymoon killer’ Mziwamadoda Qwabe jailed for murdering young newlywed
Shrien Dewani arrives at Belmarsh Magistrates Court on February 24, 2011 in London, England. Britain’s High Court on March 30, 2012 temporarily halted Dewani’s extradition to South Africa, where authorities want him to stand trial for allegedly hiring a hit-man to kill his bride Anni on their honeymoon.
"Honeymoon killer" Mziwamadoda Qwabe has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for killing British newlywed Anni Dewani at the behest of her husband Shrien.
Judge John Hlophe of Western Cape High Court gave Qwabe 15 years' imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, five years each for kidnapping and illegal possession of a firearm, and 25 years for murder, the South African Press Association reported.
Qwabe, who pled guilty, is one of two men allegedly hired by Mr. Dewani to kill his wife, the Huffington Post UK reported. The two men reportedly shot 28-year-old Dewani in the neck and left her body in an abandoned taxi.
The second suspect Xolile Mngeni, who is suffering from a malignant brain tumor, was due in court Wednesday afternoon, Yahoo News reported.
More from GlobalPost: UK signs order to extradite "honeymoon murder" suspect to South Africa
The High Court in London temporarily stopped Mr.Dewani's extradition due to his mental health, BBC News reported. The 32-year-old is reportedly suffering severe post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and his attorneys have requested that the trial be paused for a year so that he can recover.
The case is due to resume in the United Kingdom in September, according to the BBC.
Meanwhile, the newlywed's uncle Ashok Hindocha said that while the family was pleased with Qwabe's plea, they still wanted to know why Dewani was murdered.
"The way we feel is that we are going through legal torture. It is extremely stressful for the family," Hindocha told the BBC.