Expert to testify for Dewani killer
2012-11-21 18:53
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Xolile Mngeni has been found guilty of shooting dead bride Anni Dewani. See the pictures from the Western Cape High Court.
Cape Town - An oncologist will testify next week in mitigation of sentence for Xolili Mngeni, convicted this week for the murder of Anni Dewani.
Mngeni, 25, has a malignant brain tumour, and has already had surgery for it since his arrest for the murder.
Evidence in mitigation of sentence was to have started on Wednesday, but the proceedings were first delayed for more than an hour by a bomb scare, and then postponed instead to Monday.
When the case was called before Western Cape High Court Robert Henney and assessor, retired chief magistrate Jaco van Reenen, defence attorney Qalisile Dayimani said he would call the unnamed oncologist to testify in mitigation of sentence, but only on Monday.
He said the oncologist was responsible for Mngeni's treatment in Groote Schuur Hospital, and the defence needed to consult him first.
He said the oncologist was currently "out of town", and would only return some time on Wednesday afternoon.
Henney urged both the prosecution and defence to be ready on Monday to present argument on sentence, after the oncologist's testimony.
Mngeni is the third of three suspects to be convicted of the murder of Annie Dewani in November, 2010.
The other two, Zola Tongo and Mzwimadoda Qwabe, are already serving prison sentences for the murder.
British extradition proceedings are scheduled to start on 3 December, for the extradition to South Africa of the victim's husband and alleged mastermind of the murder, Shrien Dewani.
- SAPA
