Dewani case: More alibis emerge
2012-10-23 14:34
Cape Town - Further potential female alibi witnesses emerged during the cross-examination of one of Anni Dewani's alleged killers, in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
The State had been asking Xolile Mngeni about his movements between 12 and 14 November 2010, the weekend Dewani was killed.
He revealed he was with his girlfriend, another girlfriend and "a woman on special".
On that Friday evening, he left his Khayelitsha home and met a woman.
Girlfriends
"I spoke with this child, agreed about everything and brought her home to my home. Yes, it's a girlfriend," he testified.
He then left her in his shack to play street ball with his friends and returned later to sleep.
Prosecutor Shareen Riley asked what her name was.
"I don't know what her name is but it was just a special for that night," he said.
He then remembered her name and told it to the court.
He said he would be able to show police where she stayed, if they wanted her to testify.
He could also get his grandmother and another family member to confirm he was at home the whole time.
On the Saturday evening Dewani was killed, he said, he was with his official girlfriend and another couple. He met a third female friend, "a girlfriend", the next day.
Key alibi witness
Earlier, the court heard that it would be difficult to locate the key alibi witness, Mngeni's official girlfriend, as she now lives in Johannesburg.
He said that when he became ill with a brain tumour, he lost her telephone number and lost contact with her.
Judge Robert Henney asked if he would be able to show the police where her family stayed in Khayelitsha to get her phone number and her new address.
"No, I don't have a problem [with that]. I'll be able to tell him where her mother stays, but the problem is I don't know her mother and she doesn't know me," Mngeni testified during cross-examination.
He said he might be able to point out her brother.
Mngeni has pleaded not guilty to robbing, hijacking and killing Dewani in Gugulethu, on 13 November 2010.
He testified on Monday that he was with his girlfriend, her friend and her friend's boyfriend the night of the murder. They chatted into the early hours of the morning.
However, on Tuesday he said he and his girlfriend left the other couple around 20:00 on the Saturday, and made their way to a nearby shack.
"For a young man on a Saturday night, that is very early," Henney said.
The trial continues.
- SAPA
