Dewani Cop questioned on 'confession'

olile Mngeni (L) and Mziwamadoda Qwabe (R), accused in the murder of honeymooner Anni Dewani, appear in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Friday, 10 February 2012. Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht/SAPA
| 13 September 2012
CAPE TOWN - Another police officer testified on Thursday, about a video recording of the confession of Anni Dewani's alleged killer.

Xolile Mngeni's defence team is disputing his 2010 statement to police, claiming he was told what to say, after being assaulted by officers.

He claims his testicles were slammed into a desk drawer while he was in custody.

Mngeni adds he suffered a blackout while in custody in the holding cells of the Bellville Police Station.

The trial within a trial got underway in the Western Cape High Court.

With 33 years experience under his name, policeman Hilgard Brummer testified about filming the contentious video confession.

Mngeni’s lawyers have repeatedly argued that the video had been edited to exclude parts where their client was influenced by police.

Brummer told the court he had never edited a video in his career, and that no one entered the room during Mngeni’s confession.

But Judge Robert Henney became visibly irritated with the questing by Mngeni’s defence team.

He accused them of bad tactics because of Wednesday’s decision to abandon their argument that the video had been doctored.

Meanwhile, Mngeni denies firing the shot that killed British bride Anni.

Mngeni claims his co-accused Mziwamadoda Qwabe is the one that committed the murder.

Qwabe is serving 25 years after he cut a deal with the state.

According to Qwabe's testimony, the victim’s husband Shrien Dewani organised the hit.

He told the court they were paid by Shrien for the crime.

But Dewani denies any wrongdoing.

His extradition trial is expected to resume in London later in September. 
Anni was killed in 2010, while she and her husband were on honeymoon in Cape Town.

(Edited by Lindiwe Mlandu)