That Indian bird murdered in SA on her honeymoon

[xoggoth]

Although the fact that Max Clifford is representing the bloke supports innocence. He is no idiot.

[sunnysan]

MC

Although the fact that Max Clifford is representing the bloke supports innocence. He is no idiot.

I rather doubt MC has altruist motives, he senses sensationalism and therefore publicity.

Judging by the recent history of the justice system in South Africa, which has displayed an alarming propensity to use "reasonable doubt" to let guilty men with money and power walk free, maybe he is hedging his bets on a lengthy contraversial trial where he can paint his client as a victim of a corrupt judiciary with an agenda to protect the tourist industry in SA and emerge as a moral crusader of the underdog.

Unfortunately if Dewani ends up on trial in SA, if he throws enough money at it, he will walk.

[Paddy]

Max Clifford Is Swimming Against Dewani Tsunami : NewsTime : South Africa

As for a publicist why would the victim of a heinous crime need to improve his image? He has the public right behind him.

Then of course there were the inconsistent versions given to the UK Sun and Daily Mail – voluntarily – which cast further doubts about Shrien’s involvement.

Add all the many other issues that don’t add up - like his being allowed out of the vehicle by the hijackers despite his being a witness, no marks on him despite the manner in which he suggests it was done and the fact that he shot out of South Africa and did not return out of his own eagerness to pinpoint the suspects - and those doubts increase even further.

Of course his persistence that the cops were going to set him up, long before today’s revelations, speaks volumes in itself.

Yet in the face of this and a mountain of other incredible conduct by his client, Clifford would suggest that there are question marks over the police and Tongo.

If Tongo were to lie to the court his plea bargain would not be worth the paper it’s written on.

Why then would he risk everything to target Shrien?

The suggestion that it is what was required in order to get a plea bargain is ludicrous in the light of reality.

Firstly plea bargains are common enough and don’t require a high profile fall guy to see them being offered or implemented.

Secondly if it was only against the remaining two accused there is no reason why the state would not have done a deal. In this instance Tongo gets 18 years and testifies while in the Brett Kebble murder trial all the shooters walked free.

A plea bargain is a far better deal for the state and it didn’t require Shrien to be implicated. It allows the state a better opportunity of wrapping up a high profile murder.

This conduct by the state is consistent with their ordinary day-to-day functioning while that of Dewani, as the media have been pointing out en masse, is not the behavior expected of victims.

What the Dewani camp are suggesting – that the state want an overseas fall guy to clean up South Africa’s image – is ridiculous.

Convicting Dewani won’t clean up South Africa’s horrendous crime statistics.

Even if he is convicted that won’t detract from the fact that three South Africans are involved.

Worse, if the state tried to concoct this arrangement and Tongo is lying to support it, the whole case would implode.

Instead of dealing with the reality the state would be trying to prove a fantasy – which they know they could not sustain - resulting in the prosecutor ending his career and the witness adding years to his sentence over a tourist murder.

In order to convict Shrien Dewani who neither of them knew before now?

[Platypus]

Although the fact that Max Clifford is representing the bloke supports innocence. He is no idiot.

Wait and see how long it is before MC is no longer representing him! (shortly, I predict)

[xoggoth]

I rather doubt MC has altruist motives, he senses sensationalism and therefore publicity.

I just think this most prominent publicist taking on a murderer would be damaging to his reputation so he would have looked into it before so doing. As Platypus says, he may drop him like a hot brick.

That article is somewhat convincing.

[Iron Condor]

A police source in Cape Town, where the honeymooning couple's taxi was ambushed in a crime-ridden township last month, said: "Tongo's claim he was given money by Dewani after Anni's death is backed up in full colour on video.

"CCTV footage shows them meeting in a restaurant area of a hotel and Shrien Dewani hands money to the driver.

"This was days after Anni's body was found, at a time when Dewani was staying in the Cape Grace Hotel and being comforted by relatives."

"The driver's statements are also supported by witness statements and phone records at crucial times."

Murder suspect Shrien Dewani caught on CCTV paying cash to ‘plot’ claim cabbie | The Sun |News

[Paddy]

Dump him Max!

[sunnysan]

Sense

This whole thing still doesnt really make sense.

From what I understand the family had enough fixed assets to cover the debt accrued by the business anyway and on paper regardless of the ailing business they where still pretty well off.

I havent really seen anything close to a motive.

Its crazy,

Public school educted accountant liases with seasoned criminals to stage a hijacking and murder his new wife. In addition he has been implicated in additional hits.....

And our glorious moron who masquerades as the chief of police, issuing public statements implying guilt before the man HAS EVEN BEEN TRIED.
(Cele lashes out at Shrien Dewani - Sowetan LIVE)

They must be pretty sure he is guilty, but the more that emerges about this the less sense it makes and my opinion is vacillating between a motive I don't know and a xenophobic show trial to deflect blame for a totally unacceptable security situation which will have an adverse impact on tourism.

As the mob bays for this guys blood, it cannot be discounted that he has unwittingly become a political pawn, who now stands accused based on the (Most probably) forced confession of a now convicted murderer.

If he is innocent, no man deserves this.

[minestrone]

Right, I don't know too much about the case but I know roughly what is going on.

What I do find funny is the Internet judge, jury & hangmen willing to do a job that was not asked of them after reading about 5 news articles by a bunch of journalists who got the story second hand.

[Paddy]

Even disregarding other evidence and testimony the following make it highly suspicious:

Couple are attacked , wife taken but husband who is a witness is left unscathed.
Instead of staying in SA after the incident to identify the perpetrators he goes back to the UK and sell his story to Max Clifford.