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South African carjacking murder: second suspect arrested

A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the carjacking of a British a honeymooning British businessman and the murder of his new wife in Cape Town last weekend.



Shrien Dewani and Anni Dewani at their wedding. Shrien has insisted tourists should not be put off visiting South Africa Photo: PA

By Aislinn Laing in Cape Town 3:43PM GMT 18 Nov 2010

The new suspect is 26-years old and from the Cape township of Khayelitsha. The first suspect, who is also 26 and from Khayelitsha, appeared before magistrates on Thursday charged with murder and aggravated robbery.

Police have revealed that they have found a watch, a bangle and mobile phones thought to belong to Shrien and Anni Dewani and linked to the two suspects they have in custody.

The first, Xolile Mngeni, is alleged to be tied to the crime scene by a fingerprint found on the bonnet of the Volkswagen Sharan the couple hired with a driver to take them around the city.

Police said he also fits a description given to detectives by the driver. Mr Dewani, 30, from Bristol, and Mrs Dewani, 28 from Sweden, were driving through Guguletu township on Saturday night when they were ambushed by two men with handguns who forced their chauffeur out.

They pair were driven through the townships for around half an hour before Mr Dewani was pushed out of the car with a gun to his head. His wife’s body was found the following morning in the back seat of the car, dumped in Khayelitsha. She had been shot in the neck.

On Thursday, Bheki Cele, South Africa’s police commissioner, said police were hunting two more people, but refused to specify how they were involved. He defended the decision to allow Mr Dewani, their chief witness, to leave South Africa with his wife’s body two days after the murder and while suspects were still being sought.

“He is not a suspect and so we cannot hold him if he wants to go,” he said. “South African and British police work very closely together. Everybody we think will need to answer questions will be cooperative.” He also confirmed that the car’s driver was not a suspect, but added: “The investigation of this crime is not closed.”

He said tourists should not be afraid of returning and promised police would “work hard” to protect them. “There are many visitors to this country coming from the UK,” he said. “Tell them they can get out of their fridge country and come to our warm one.”