UK honeymoon murder suspect Dewani arrives in South Africa

Indian-origin businessman Shrien Dewani today arrived in South Africa after being extradited from the UK, to stand trial for allegedly plotting the 2010 murder of his Indo-Swedish wife while on their honeymoon.
Dewani was escorted to the Western Cape High Court, where he appeared for the first time in a South African court, according to Mthunzi Mhaga, spokesperson of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
There he was formally charged and processed by the investigating team.
Dewani, 34, was charged with murder and will face charges relating to conspiracy to commit murder and defeating the ends of justice.
He landed in Cape Town on a chartered flight procured by the department.

Mhaga said the use of the private aircraft was due to Dewani's peculiar medical condition, which needs to be monitored as travelling on a commercial flight could compromised his security and could have an adverse effect on his pending medical examination, state-run news portal sanews.Gov.Za said.

Dewani was put on the flight to Cape Town from Heathrow yesterday to face a charge for ordering the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife Anni, which he denies.
He was taken from Fromeside Hospital in the British city of Bristol, to the airport by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service Extradition Unit.
They were met at the airport by officials from the South African authorities who escorted him to the flight

Dewani was originally arrested by officers from the extradition unit on December 7, 2010 at the request of the South African authorities.
His extradition comes after three years of a protracted legal battle to keep the Bristol-based businessman in the UK.
Dewani's lawyers had argued that he should not be forced from the UK to face trial until he recovers from mental health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
But in March, judges at the High Court here rejected all his grounds for appeal against his removal from the UK and denied him the chance to take the case to the Supreme Court.

It is expected that Dewani will be treated at Valkenberg hospital while awaiting trial, where security has reportedly been beefed up in anticipation of his arrival.
His initial assessment will be for 30 days but an agreement between British and South African authorities will see the businessman returned to the UK in 18 months if deemed unfit to stand trial.