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CRIME

Dewani’s court case postponed in Cape Town

Extradited British millionaire businessman Shrien Dewani briefly appeared in a Cape Town court on Monday, with his lawyers successfully arguing he was not yet fit to stand trial on charges of ordering his Swedish wife's murder.

Dewani's court case postponed in Cape Town
Photo: TT
Extradited British millionaire businessman Shrien Dewani briefly appeared in a Cape Town court on Monday, with his lawyers successfully arguing he was not yet fit to stand trial on charges of ordering his Swedish wife's murder.
   
Judge John Hlope ordered Dewani to appear in court again on June 20 and he was remanded in custody at the Valkenberg psychiatric hospital where he has been receiving treatment since his arrival in South Africa last month.
   
Dewani, 34, glanced nervously around him in the dock as his lawyers said psychiatrists had told them Dewani had been cooperative but lacked the ability to concentrate for any length of time.
   
They were hopeful that his condition would improve, lawyer Francois van Zyl told the court.
   
Dewani, who returned to Britain shortly after his wife's murder in 2010, had fought his extradition for three years, claiming he had mental health problems including depression and post-traumatic stress.
   
If he is not found fit to face trial within 18 months, he will be returned to Britain under the terms of his extradition.
   
Dewani denies ordering the killing of his 28-year-old bride Anni in Cape Town in November 2010.
   
He claims the couple were kidnapped at gunpoint during their honeymoon as they drove through the Gugulethu township in a taxi.
   
Dewani escaped unharmed, but his wife's body was found in the abandoned car the next day. She had been shot dead.
   
Prosecutors allege Dewani hired South African Xolile Mngeni to kill Anni.
 
Mngeni was jailed for life for the murder in December 2012.
   
Two other men also jailed over the killing allege that Dewani ordered the hit.

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POLICE

‘It is very serious’: Swedish PM vows to act after claims of police leaks to gangs

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed concern of reports in newspaper Dagens Nyheter of police employees dating and leaking information to gang members.

'It is very serious': Swedish PM vows to act after claims of police leaks to gangs

Sweden has struggled to contain a surge in violence in recent years as criminal gangs feud for control of drug markets, with bombings and shootings recorded weekly.

Kristersson’s comments followed a report by newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) that claimed to have found multiple instances of police employees leaking sensitive information about ongoing investigations to criminals.

In some cases, the police employees allegedly were in intimate relationships with gang members to whom they leaked information.

According to DN, which published the report over the weekend, in four cases the leaks – which included information about enemies of the gang member involved in the relationship – preceded revenge attacks, including murders.

At least 30 employees had for different reasons been considered “security risks” and either resigned or were forced to quit, the newspaper reported.

DN said that in several cases, criminals had begun “sexual relations with strategically selected police officers”.

Kristersson on Monday told news agency TT that it was “very concerning information”.

“There are many great risks and one is that trust in police declines, that one gets the idea that mafia-like methods are used to infiltrate law enforcement,” the head of government said.

“It is very serious and we need to address it,” he continued.

Kristersson said that purely based on the initial report he could not say whether it constituted a threat to national security or not.

“But the mere suspicion of these types of connections are damaging,” he told the news agency.

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