Moment man who arranged Anni Dewani's murder breaks down in tears

‘I’m not proud of what I did’: Moment man who arranged newlywed Anni Dewani’s murder during her honeymoon in Cape Town breaks down in tears over his involvement

• Anni Dewani, 28, was killed in a taxi while on honeymoon with her new husband 
• She had been wed for a few weeks to British nursing home boss Shrien Dewani 
• Dewani was accused of organising the hit on his engineer wife but was cleared
• One of the offenders behind Anni’s death, Monde Mbolombo, speaks about the murder, breaking down in tears, during a new discovery+ documentary

The man who arranged young newlywed Anni Dewani’s brutal murder has broken down in tears when speaking publicly about the plot, insisting: ‘I’m not proud of what I did’.

Anni, 28, was killed in the back of a taxi while on honeymoon with her new husband British millionaire nursing home boss Shrien Dewani, now 41, in Gugulethu township, near Cape Town on November 13, 2010.

The newlywed, who had only been married for a few weeks, suffered a single gunshot to her neck after her partner fled the vehicle which was later found abandoned with her body in it.

Her husband said his life was spared as the two gunmen forced him out of the taxi at gunpoint, before murdering his new bride.

Mr Dewani was accused of organising the hit on his Swedish engineer wife with the taxi driver and paying him and two accomplices, but was cleared.

Now Monde Mbolombo, the middleman who arranged the killing – but was granted immunity from prosecution for helping police investigating Anni’s murder, has spoken out in a new discovery+ documentary Anni: The Honeymoon Murder.

Monde Mbolombo (pictured), the middleman who arranged the killing – but was granted immunity from prosecution for helping police investigating Anni’s murder, has spoken out in a new discovery+ documentary Anni: The Honeymoon Murder

Anni Dewani, 28, was killed in the back of a taxi while on honeymoon with her new husband British millionaire nursing home boss Shrien Dewani (pictured together), now 41, in Gugulethu township, near Cape Town on November 13, 2010

CCTV footage caught Monde Mbolombo (pictured above) on the phone to taxi driver Zola Tongo. He has given his version of the robbery-murder to a TV documentary team

Asked why he had got involved in the murder plot, Mbolombo, 40, said: ‘To tell the truth, I don’t know really. I can’t answer that, how will I answer that?

‘I don’t know why I didn’t say no, really. I don’t know. I don’t want to make up stories or something, I don’t know. 

‘That’s the question I’ve been asking myself all these years, why did I say yes?’ he added.

Asked if he thought about how a woman was going to end up dead, he broke down in tears and said: ‘Because of my role, I’m still stuck here. I’m not proud of what I did.’ 

Recalling events leading up to Anni’s murder, Mbolombo told the programme that taxi driver Zola Tongo came to see him at a hotel he was working at.

‘Tongo came to me and he said “do I know any hitman?”. I was shocked.’

Mr Dewani (pictured) was accused of organising the hit on his Swedish engineer wife with the taxi driver and paying him and two accomplices, but was cleared

He said Tongo told him that he would be bringing a couple into the township and “the husband, wants the wife to be killed.”

‘Tongo said “so this guy wants his wife to be murdered and it must look like it’s a hijacking“.’

Mr Dewani has always maintained his innocence and accused the three men convicted of Anni’s murder, of framing him.  

In 2014 a South African court declared him not guilty of charges he arranged the murder. The judgement meant in effect he had been framed.  

Mbolombo was granted immunity from prosecution for helping police investigating Anni’s murder. 

Anni Dewani’s sister, Ami Denborg (left), brother Anish Hindocha (second left at rear), father Vinod Hindocha (second right) and mother Nilam Hindocha (right) leave Westminster Magistrates’ Court in 2013

His supposed remorse was dismissed as ‘crying crocodile tears’ by Anni’s family who are still searching for answers to the tragedy in their quest for closure.

They urged him to face them himself and tell the full story of how Anni was shot dead in a taxi near Cape Town 11 years ago.

Anni’s uncle Ashok Hindocha told MailOnline: ‘Even after all these years, we still have so many questions that need answering. There is still key information to be revealed and holes in the story to be filled.

‘Some of the mobile phones used by the men who killed Anni have never been found. Does he know anything about what happened to these and who got rid of them?

‘There could be very important information on those phones. We were told there were text messages that were sent between them. 

Recalling events leading up to Anni’s murder, Mbolombo, 40, told the programme that taxi driver Zola Tongo (pictured above) came to see him at a hotel he was working at

Mr Dewani, pictured in 2014, said he and his wife were victims of a random kidnapping and his life was spared as the two gunmen pushed him out of the vehicle window

‘We are still anxious to see those messages on those phones and know who said what.’ 

But Mr Hindocha added: ‘Tears are not enough. ‘When Shrien was found not guilty, the judge in the trial said Mbolombo was not immune from prosecution. But he was never charged. He has been lucky to escape justice. ‘

Mr Dewani said he and his wife were kidnapped as they toured the township in Tongo’s taxi.

Tongo, who is serving 18 years for the murder, said he was paid R15,000 (£700) to organise the hitmen.

But millionaire care home boss Mr Dewani, who fought an extradition battle for nearly four years, said he and his wife were victims of a random kidnapping and his life was spared as the two gunmen pushed him out of the vehicle window.

At his trial, he admitted sleeping with male prostitutes and paying for sex. The judge was also told that he surfed gay websites the day after his wife had been murdered.

However, Dewani was acquitted of all charges and walked out of court a free man. 

The judge found she could not rely on the police investigation and that statements taken from the alleged accomplices had been contradictory. 

Mr Dewani has always maintained his innocence and accused the three men convicted of Anni’s murder, of framing him. In 2014 a South African court declared him not guilty of charges he arranged the murder. The judgement meant in effect he had been framed. Pictured right, Anni

The court also saw CCTV of Mr Dewani viewing gay porn while his father-in-law Vinod Hindocha sat close to him in a hotel lobby after flying to South Africa.

More footage showed Mr Dewani disappearing in the hotel lobby with Tongo, and the taxi driver re-emerging carrying a paper bag. Mr Dewani said he was paying him his fee for driving the honeymooners.

The post-mortem examination confirmed Anni was neither sexually assaulted nor raped. She was shot through the hand and neck, possibly as she lay face down in the taxi.

Tongo confessed to his part in the killing and is serving a reduced sentence. Last year he was due to be released on parole, but was kept behind bars after opposition from Anni’s family.

Her father Vinod flew back to Cape Town to question him further, but was unhappy with the answers he gave and decided against him being given his freedom.

Mziwamadoda Qwabe is serving life and the man who fired the shot that killed Anni, Xolile Mngeni died from cancer in prison while serving his sentence. 

Anni: The Honeymoon Murder is available to stream now exclusively on discovery+ 

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