Dewani case: Shooter sat next to driver
2012-10-17 18:30
Cape Town - Anni Dewani's killer most likely shot her from the front passenger seat of the hijacked vehicle, the Western Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.
Warrant Officer Pieter Engelbrecht, a ballistics expert, said the bullet was shot from the front left seat to the back right seat of the hijacked VW Sharan.
He said he could not tell whether the shooter was left or right-handed, although if the left hand was used from that seat, the shooter would have had to swivel his body around towards the back.
Engelbrecht was testifying in the trial of Xolile Mngeni, 25, who has pleaded not guilty to the hijacking, robbery, and murder of Dewani in Gugulethu on 13 November 2010.
She had been on a Cape Town honeymoon with her husband Shrien.
In Mngeni's version of events that night, his alleged accomplice Mziwamadoda Qwabe had stopped the vehicle with a gun and sat in the driver's seat, while Mngeni was in the front passenger seat.
The accused said Qwabe shot Dewani without warning while he was driving.
This contradicted Qwabe's testimony, who took the stand as a State witness after a plea agreement in which he was jailed for 25 years.
Qwabe said Mngeni had a gun and stopped the vehicle.
He drove while Mngeni sat in the front passenger seat.
According to Qwabe, Mngeni was the triggerman.
The trial continues.
- SAPA
