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Shrien Dewani: from lavish wedding to a high court murder trial Shrien Dewani: from lavish wedding to a high court murder trial
(about 1 hour later)
Shrien Dewani, who has been cleared of his wife Anni’s murder, hails from a rich, well-connected and respected family. He is inevitably described as a Bristol businessman but the Dewanis have global links and connections. It was no surprise when Dewani married a Swedish woman, whisked her off to Paris for an engagement party, married her in India and flew to South Africa for their honeymoon.Shrien Dewani, who has been cleared of his wife Anni’s murder, hails from a rich, well-connected and respected family. He is inevitably described as a Bristol businessman but the Dewanis have global links and connections. It was no surprise when Dewani married a Swedish woman, whisked her off to Paris for an engagement party, married her in India and flew to South Africa for their honeymoon.
Dewani’s mother is from Uganda and his father, Prakash, arrived in the UK from Kenya. Prakash was a pharmacist with a talent for hard work and commerce who launched a hugely successful chain of care homes based in Bristol, PSP Healthcare.Dewani’s mother is from Uganda and his father, Prakash, arrived in the UK from Kenya. Prakash was a pharmacist with a talent for hard work and commerce who launched a hugely successful chain of care homes based in Bristol, PSP Healthcare.
Shrien was privately educated at Bristol grammar school before reading economics at the University of Manchester. He was a talented, popular and gregarious student.Shrien was privately educated at Bristol grammar school before reading economics at the University of Manchester. He was a talented, popular and gregarious student.
After graduating he worked at accountancy and consultancy giant Deloitte in London before returning to his home city to help run the family business, PSP Healthcare. After graduating he worked at accountancy and consultancy giant Deloitte in London before returning to his home city to help run PSP Healthcare.
Dewani met Anni through mutual friends on 20 May 2009 while he was working in London. He has said he was instantly attracted to her, loved her bubbly personality and sensed a mutual attraction. He was also impressed that she seemed to share his drive and ambition. Early dates included coffee at a Starbucks, a trip to the musical the Lion King and dinner at the restaurant Asia de Cuba. Dewani met Anni Hindocha through mutual friends on 20 May 2009 while he was working in London. He has said he was instantly attracted to her, loved her bubbly personality and sensed a mutual attraction. He was also impressed that she seemed to share his drive and ambition. Early dates included coffee at a Starbucks, a trip to the musical the Lion King and dinner at the restaurant Asia de Cuba.
Anni was working as a product designer in Sweden and the pair began a long-distance relationship, taking it in turns to visit, but friends have said they were both headstrong and often argued. Hindocha was working as a product designer in Sweden and the pair began a long-distance relationship, taking it in turns to visit, but friends have said they were both headstrong and often argued.
In January 2010 Anni ended the relationship but they patched it up and in March she moved to the UK, intent on making it work. In January 2010 Hindocha ended the relationship but they patched it up and in March she moved to the UK, intent on making it work.
Things moved quickly and in May 2010, Anni’s parents travelled to Bristol to meet Dewani’s family. The engagement was announced that month. Things moved quickly and in May 2010, Hindocha’s parents travelled to Bristol to meet Dewani’s family. The engagement was announced that month.
The couple jetted off to Paris to celebrate their impending nuptials and Dewani went to Las Vegas with a group of friends for his stag weekend.The couple jetted off to Paris to celebrate their impending nuptials and Dewani went to Las Vegas with a group of friends for his stag weekend.
Behind the scenes there were, undoubtedly, tensions and problems. Dewani had abnormally low hormone levels that could have affected his ability to have children. Dewani has said the couple wanted children and he decided to undergo treatment even thought it could have caused uncomfortable side-effects.Behind the scenes there were, undoubtedly, tensions and problems. Dewani had abnormally low hormone levels that could have affected his ability to have children. Dewani has said the couple wanted children and he decided to undergo treatment even thought it could have caused uncomfortable side-effects.
Quite what Anni knew of his sexuality remains unclear. Following her death, lurid allegations about Dewani’s links to a Birmingham prostitute who worked under the name the German Master surfaced in the Sun. It was an open secret in the Bristol bars that Dewani used to frequent that he had gay relationships. Quite what Hindocha knew of his sexuality remains unclear. Following her death, lurid allegations about Dewani’s links to a Birmingham prostitute who worked under the name the German Master surfaced in the Sun. It was an open secret in the Bristol bars that Dewani used to frequent that he had gay relationships.
At the time the Dewani camp strongly refuted the allegations but in court he admitted he was bisexual and accepted that he knew the German Master, Leopold Leisser. At the time the Dewani camp strongly denied the allegations but in court he admitted he was bisexual and accepted that he knew the German Master, Leopold Leisser.
Nevertheless, Dewani and Anni began planning their future. The idea was to have their main home in Bristol and a weekend place in London. They planned the details of their future life in detail – down to the his-and-hers walk-in wardrobes and twin sinks at their Bristol mansion. Nevertheless, Dewani and Hindocha began planning their future. The idea was to have their main home in Bristol and a weekend place in London. They planned the details of their future life in detail – down to the his-and-hers walk-in wardrobes and twin sinks at their Bristol mansion.
The rows continued. In September 2010 Anni was talking about calling off the wedding. Again it was patched up – friends insist that they were simply dealing with the sort of problems that any new couple has. The rows continued. In September 2010 Hindocha was talking about calling off the wedding. Again it was patched up – friends insist that they were simply dealing with the sort of problems that any new couple has.
The lavish ceremony in Mumbai went ahead the following month. There was no prenuptial agreement, no dowry and no pressure from the family to marry, Dewani’s family said. The wedding was a grand three-day affair attended by 300 guests featuring elephants and an altar dressed to look like the Taj Mahal.The lavish ceremony in Mumbai went ahead the following month. There was no prenuptial agreement, no dowry and no pressure from the family to marry, Dewani’s family said. The wedding was a grand three-day affair attended by 300 guests featuring elephants and an altar dressed to look like the Taj Mahal.
The couple briefly returned to Bristol for Diwali as the festival is regarded as an auspicious time to welcome a new bride. The Dewanis are devout Hindus and attend the Bristol Hindu temple in Redfield. Worshippers and officials there have always supported the family and refused to believe Dewani could be guilty of plotting his wife’s murder.The couple briefly returned to Bristol for Diwali as the festival is regarded as an auspicious time to welcome a new bride. The Dewanis are devout Hindus and attend the Bristol Hindu temple in Redfield. Worshippers and officials there have always supported the family and refused to believe Dewani could be guilty of plotting his wife’s murder.
The visit to Bristol also gave the couple the chance to make sure the building work at their home was going well.The visit to Bristol also gave the couple the chance to make sure the building work at their home was going well.
Then it was off to South Africa – chosen as a honeymoon destination partly because neither had been there but also because Dewani liked the coincidence that their initials were SA.Then it was off to South Africa – chosen as a honeymoon destination partly because neither had been there but also because Dewani liked the coincidence that their initials were SA.
The scrutiny of Dewani began as soon as he arrived back in Bristol following Anni’s death. In December 2010 Dewani was arrested in Bristol at the request of the South African authorities. By this time he was unwell, suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome. The scrutiny of Dewani began as soon as he arrived back in Bristol following Anni’s death. In December 2010 he was arrested in Bristol at the request of the South African authorities. By this time he was unwell, suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome.
A press pack camped outside the family home and, perhaps unwisely, the PR guru Max Clifford – now jailed for a string of sex assaults against girls and women – acted for the family in dealings with the media. More wisely, Dewani’s older brother, Preyen, a lawyer by profession and a tireless fighter by nature, began organising the legal fight.A press pack camped outside the family home and, perhaps unwisely, the PR guru Max Clifford – now jailed for a string of sex assaults against girls and women – acted for the family in dealings with the media. More wisely, Dewani’s older brother, Preyen, a lawyer by profession and a tireless fighter by nature, began organising the legal fight.
Over the next four years a tortuous series of extradition hearings took place in London. Dewani would sometimes appear, often looking dishevelled and weary, a shadow of the handsome man familiar from the wedding photographs. Often he was excused from the hearings because he was so unwell.Over the next four years a tortuous series of extradition hearings took place in London. Dewani would sometimes appear, often looking dishevelled and weary, a shadow of the handsome man familiar from the wedding photographs. Often he was excused from the hearings because he was so unwell.
He always maintained his innocence and said he wanted to return to South Africa to clear his name. But his legal team argued that he was too ill to be extradited and that the nature of his crime and his own reputation as a rich, possibly gay foreigner would mean he would face attack in prison. They also claimed there was a serious risk he would kill himself if he was extradited. He always maintained his innocence and said he wanted to return to South Africa to clear his name. But his legal team argued that he was too ill to be extradited and that the nature of his crime and his own reputation as a rich, possibly gay foreigner would mean he would face attack in prison. They also claimed there was a serious risk he would kill himself if he were extradited.
The process was agony for Dewani’s family, who were desperate for him to stay in the UK at least until he was mentally well; it was terrible, too, for Anni’s family, who wanted to hear his first-hand account of the young woman’s death. After dozens of days in court, it was finally ruled that he was fit to return to South Africa. The process was agony for Dewani’s family, who were desperate for him to stay in the UK at least until he was mentally well; it was terrible, too, for his wife’s family, who wanted to hear his first-hand account of the young woman’s death. After dozens of days in court, it was finally ruled that he was fit to return to South Africa.
The Guardian was one of the first to question the case against him. In February 2011 a Guardian investigation found allegations from lawyers for two of the men involved in the murder that they were tortured by the police.The Guardian was one of the first to question the case against him. In February 2011 a Guardian investigation found allegations from lawyers for two of the men involved in the murder that they were tortured by the police.
In addition, the Guardian saw police papers that show how quickly – within 36 hours – detectives appeared to believe and accept the testimony of taxi driver Zola Tongo, which was vital to the prosecution’s case.In addition, the Guardian saw police papers that show how quickly – within 36 hours – detectives appeared to believe and accept the testimony of taxi driver Zola Tongo, which was vital to the prosecution’s case.
Pankaj Pandaya, an old family friend, believes the Dewanis were pinpointed as a young, rich couple and targeted by criminals trying to make an easy buck: “Shrien is 150% innocent,” he said. “I have known him since he was a boy. He is intelligent, respectable and religious. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”Pankaj Pandaya, an old family friend, believes the Dewanis were pinpointed as a young, rich couple and targeted by criminals trying to make an easy buck: “Shrien is 150% innocent,” he said. “I have known him since he was a boy. He is intelligent, respectable and religious. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”