Families at war: Husband left Anni Dewani to die like a dog, says her uncle
By Tom KellyLast updated at 8:24 PM on 9th January 2011
The uncle of murdered honeymoon bride Anni Dewani today accused her husband of allowing her to suffer a worse death than a dog.
Ashok Hindocha said he could not understand why millionaire Shrien Dewani had not ‘put up a fight’ after the couple’s taxi was ambushed by two gunmen in South Africa.
He said: ‘It is so simple. A beautiful girl like that, two men with a gun – you know what they are going to do to her.
No fight: The uncle of murdered Anni Dewani, Ashok Hindocha, has said that Shrien Dewani did not defend his newly wed wife
Mr Dewani faces extradition to Cape Town over allegations that he orchestrated the murder of his wife in a staged hijacking in a township near the city in November.
Unhappy marriage? Mr Hindocha said it was 'crystal clear' that the married couple were not happy
He fiercely denies doing anything wrong and said he passionately loved his bride.
But Mr Hindocha said he first became concerned a few days before his niece’s funeral – before Mr Dewani was named as a suspect – when they visited his family home in Bristol.
He said: ‘Everyone was sitting in the kitchen, ten or 15 people from both families, and Shrien addressed us for about half an hour, explaining for the first time what happened.
‘He told us he was thrown out of the window of the car. He could have struggled, he is not a small person – he is 6ft I think – and those guys weren’t big. He could have put up a fight. He had a chance.
‘Anni is a strong girl. If Shrien had fought back she would have definitely got involved.
'She was very sporty – she played hockey at the highest level – and she would have defended herself bravely.’
Mr Hindocha – the brother of Mrs Dewani’s father – also spoke of a text message that his niece allegedly sent to a friend a few days after her marriage saying ‘crying is my new hobby’.
From his home in Mariestad, Sweden, he said: ‘It was crystal clear that she wasn’t happy, that things weren’t right between them.’
Unsolved: Vinod Hindocha (left), the father of the murdered newlywed, and Shrien Dewani in handcuffs leaving Westminster Magistrates court last month (right)
He said: ‘I got calls from many relatives saying they were very upset that they first saw it on TV and in newspapers.
'I do not feel that it was done to be respectful of Anni’s memory, but more as a public relations defence because of the allegations against him.’
Max Clifford, a spokesman for the Dewani family, said: ‘Unless you are ever in a situation when two men are pointing a gun at you, you will never know how you will respond.
‘Anni’s uncle is entitled to his opinion, but I know that Shrien did everything he could protect her.
‘We released the footage of the wedding as a tribute to Anni and to demonstrate how much Shrien loved her, following weeks of false claims about their relationship.’
Taxi driver Zola Tonga, 31, has been jailed for 18 years after confessing to arranging the murder.
The sentence was reduced from 25 years after a plea bargain in which he claimed Mr Dewani asked him to hire the hitmen.
The two alleged gunmen are due to stand trial this year.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1345563/Families-war-Husband-left-Anni-Dewani-die-like-dog-says-uncle.html#ixzz1AZWkOxtq
There should really be no more comments on this case as it is not anywhere near resolved and needs some investigating by qualified experts. I do rather think that Dewani would not get a fair trial in SA but that is just a gut feeling and could be quite wrong.
Report abuse
I would like to express my respect for the victim and her family, equally I hope the police are allowed to conduct a thorough investigation and sufficient evidence emerges to allow the guilty to be brought to justice, may god rest her soul and the same thoughts are given to all inocent victims of henious crime such as this.
Red arrow me all you like. you people should go and live in the deep south of America where people are guilty until proven innocent. You lot disgust me with your assumptions, i hope that you lot are never on a jury if I was before the courts. Armchair detectives all of you. Be ashamed.
From day one I thought this case was odd. Now I think it's very very odd.
Until you have been attacked (and I have) you have no idea how you'll react. Firstly, it can be lightning quick. You can be physically under the attackers' power with no chance at all to resist. You have not a moment to think. I can well imagine that with a couple of men attacking him, one brandishing a gun, Mr Dewani's immediate natural instinct may have been to do what they say, in that moment, to avoid immediate death. He may also have simply been overwhelmed by the force of two men. Till you've been the victim of a sudden attack you have no-o idea how you'll react - or how easily you may be prevented from fighting back.
What is wrong wwith you people havn't you heard of innocent until proven guilty, this uncle just wants his 5 minutes of fame in the press, as he and all of us were not present when the murder took place we have no right to point hte finger, it's dispicable to label somone a murderer until that person is found guilty, give it a rest and think about the young husband who lost his new bride and not listen to the embittered reletives of the victim who are hell bent of getting him convicted just to ease their pain.
What does Max Clifford know about whether or not the man is innocent? It is disgusting that what has happened to this poor woman has been turned into a media circus. Why is this allowed? Why not maintain a dignified silence instead of having Clifford protest the husband's innocence; that is for the evidence and the court to decide.
Why does DM suddenly allows reader comments on this case again????? We all know what happened. SA wants to cover up a murder committed by their own citizens to protect their tourism. Anni's husband is serving as the scapegoat and I can't believe he's gonna get fed to the lion right upon extradition.
Well, in the same situation, I wouldn't start a fight with two armed men and I hope my husband wouldn't either - we would both end up dead. Mr Dewani did the right thing - by doing as the gunmen asked there was an excellent chance they would both survive. Indeed it does seem that killing his wife was an accident and the original intention would have been to release her. Those people who reckon they would tackle two armed opponents have been watching too many Arnie films in my opinion.
yes except cases like this are a dime a dozen in sa - ask any 1 of the million who left & now live in your countries in the last ten yrs - we left because life is cheap in africa & doesn't matter how small the man is with the gun - you comply - he probably thought she was being shoved out the back door at the time...most white/ indian south africans have a 'carjack plan' with their family - no 1 being - don't drive at night...! anywhere !
I would fight for my cat if somebody tried to hurt her... And actually I did once. I landed with a black eye and a bleeding nose but have saved a creature I care for.
Word are easy and cheap , he was not there, he does not know what happened . Let him express his anger at the people who commited the crime . Not the unfortunate Mr Dewani who lost the love of his life.
Actually her uncle is right.... You expecting your hubby to fight to death for your wellbeing, as you will do too!!
Had that been wife, they litterally would have taken her, OVER MY DEAD BODY and they would have known they had been in a FIGHT.
" ... ‘It is so simple. A beautiful girl like that, two men with a gun – you know what they are going to do to her. I would not even have allowed my dog to be left like that. I would fight for the dog.’ ... " Many of us would think likewise. (Another person has just died in the UK trying to rescue their dog from water). But non of us were there, and do not know the exact circumstances. Also, being present at an incident, and considering possible actions from afar in safety, and at a different time, are entirely different experiences.
loyalty
I would have fought to my last breath to defend the girl I loved and had just married. Instead he is ejected via the back window of a vehicle , and doesn't have a scratch. I don't understand why they were in that locality at that time of night. Even in broad daylight, its apparently a place where you just do not go. It seems his main spokesman is Max Clifford, as far as I am aware not usually acknowledged as a criminal lawyer. There is something totally unreal about this whole issue.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1345424/Honeymoon-murder-I-wouldnt-left-dog-die-like-says-Anni-Dewanis-uncle.html#ixzz1AZXtZlcw
