DA welcomes Shrien Dewani extradition

The DA welcomes the Westminster Magistrates Court's decision allowing for the extradition of murder-accused, Shrien Dewani to South Africa.

Earlier today Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle held that it would not be unjust or oppressive to extradite Shrien Dewani to South Africa and that, pending a possible appeal application, he should be extradited to South Africa as soon as possible.

It has been almost three years since Shrien Dewani's wife, Anni, was found murdered in Gugulethu, in a murder plot believed to have been orchestrated by Shrien Dewani. Justice is long overdue in this case.  

We greatly feared that the thoughtless comments by dismissed National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele, that: "a monkey came all the way from London to have his wife murdered here" may have prevented this extradition.

It would have been a national tragedy if a trial was prevented because of the former Commissioner's foolhardiness. 

We hope the outcome of today's ruling and the upcoming legal proceedings will bring Anni's family sense of closure.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, July 24 2013

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