South Africa - Anni Dewani, 28, shot to death, Gugulethu, 13 Nov 2010 #3

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Eyewitness News ‏@ewnupdates 24s24 seconds ago Cape Town

Zola Tongo is being cross-examined by the defence. It's his 6th day on the stand.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 1m1 minute ago

VZ: You told him (da Grass) your story.

Tongo: That's correct.

Van Zyl reads from the statement again.

VZ: Does this correctly set out the background, why you made this statement?

Tongo: Whatever I said, is what happened.

 

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Ayesha ‏@CloraVannieKaap 53s53 seconds ago

Tongo says in the affidavit that he will also explain the role others played.


Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 58s58 seconds ago

Judge Traverso: Are those events, as VZ put it to you, correct?

Tongo: That's correct, My Lady. shakehead: )

VZ: This was not just a statement, done hurriedly in a police station. This statement was taken down by a Lt. Col. who was in
control of this investigation. He knew how serious this affidavit would be. Would you agree?

Tongo: That's possible.

VZ: You also knew how important it would be to give the correct facts?

Tongo: Correct

VZ: And that you would have to testify in a court on law, to the contents of this statement. I have to ask you again, what is contained in exhibit P9, at which period did you discuss this with Col. Barkhuizen & how long did it take?

Tongo: I can't tell you how long it took. I was incarcerated at Bellville South @ the time.



Roy McKenzie ‏@RoyMcK 2m2 minutes ago Cape Town

Noticeably fewer journalists, Hindocha family members in court today

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

VZ: Is it correct to say it took a couple of hours?

Tongo: I can't give the exact times. We took some time.

VZ: It seems to me & correct me if I'm wrong, that Col. Barkhuizen took notes, wrote it up, gave it to you & your attorney to read, before it was signed off.

Tongo: I can't comment on the fact that Col. Barkhuizen took notes but he wrote down everything I said. I can't remember when it was given to me on the same day. But it was given to me and my legal rep.

VZ: And your legal rep agreed that this was correct?

Tongo: I hope so.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

EWN Reporter ‏@ewnreporter 1m1 minute ago

Tongo: I won't be able to comment on whether Barkhuizen took notes, but he wrote down everything I said. (scratching my head)

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

VZ: Mr. Tongo, we've now spent days on this statement. Can you please explain why in your evidence, you deviate so materially from this statement?

Tongo: My Lady, I remember some things after the typing had already been done.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 1m1 minute ago

Tongo: And after we signed the papers, only then some of the thoughts came back. I don't know if it's an offence to reveal things now.

VZ: You were given an opportunity on 02/12 to make corrections to your statement.

Tongo: I do remember myself making corrections.

VZ: The only correction you made was the money you received from Mr. Dewani. I'm talking about the R1000.

Tongo: That's possible.

VZ: If things weren't right, why didn't you tell Col. Barkhuizen?

Tongo: As I've said, I was still very critical & could only remember some of the things.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 24s24 seconds ago

Tongo: That's why some of the things came up after some time & I said those things.

 

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vanessa poonah ‏@vanessapoonah01#sabcnews 1m1 minute ago

Tongo: I remembered some things after the document was already typed and papers signed.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

VZ is insinuating that Tongo has tailored his evidence & fabricated a story over the past 3 and a half years.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 53s53 seconds ago

Tongo: As I've said, as the years go on, some of the things are resurfacing, My Lady.

VZ: And the threat the accused allegedly made at Surfside that he would kill you if the job wasn't done. You said that was inserted by Col. Barkhuizen. Are you still saying you never said that?

Tongo: What I said is that the accused person said I'm the only one who knows of this. That is what I said that day and yesterday.

(so did Col. Barkhuizen fabricate the threat to kill from that statement?)

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

Shrien Dewani passes a note, on a little yellow page, to his brother, Preyen.

 

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RAHIMA ESSOP ‏@rahimaessop 2m2 minutes ago

VZ: this story about Somerset West being "wet" who told you that?

Tongo: Qwabe.

VZ: how did it come about, did he phone you?

Tongo: lot of communication between him and me, I wanted to know if they were able to come to Somerset West.

Tongo: can't remember in which text message or phone call it was mentioned.

VZ: did you discuss how or when it would happen?

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

VZ: You said Qwabe said the Somerset West was "wet" (lots of cops).

Tongo: Correct.

VZ: So, I presume you wanted to come to SW to do the hijacking.

Tongo: The mere fact that he said they can't come there, i just didn't proceed with that.

VZ: So what was then agreed between you & Qwabe?

Tongo: They would wait for me at the agreed spot.

VZ: At what time?

Tongo: We didn't agree to an exact time.

VZ refers to Tongo's statement again

(wasn't it 1930)

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 1m1 minute ago

Shrien listens closely and seems to be recounting the events, in his mind.

 

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News24 ‏@News24 1m1 minute ago

VZ reads bit about walk on beach, Dewani threatening Tongo, Monde saying area was 'wet'.

Tongo: There's a mistake, it was Qwabe.

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 45s45 seconds ago

Tongo circling "mistakes" on his statement. Shrien Dewani peers over the dock to see what he is doing.

 

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RAHIMA ESSOP ‏@rahimaessop 45s45 seconds ago

VZ: you said you knew what "wet" meant now, but in statement you said you didn't.

Tongo: I wanted him to explain.

VZ: so you knew what it meant, but you asked him to explain anyway.

Tongo: township lingo not (always) the same.




Roy McKenzie ‏@RoyMcK 1m1 minute ago Cape Town

Dewani shakes his head, refers to thin blue file of papers, as Tongo cross examination drags on

 

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Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago

VZ: Let's discuss Monde Mbolombo's role in this. Can you tell the court what role did MM play in the events of that evening, over & above the fact that he introduced Qwabe & you.

Tongo: It was to assist me to make sure everything just happened.

VZ: How was he going to assist you.

Tongo: He was phoning the men & explain to me what they were saying. And when I called the men, it's the same info Monde gave me.

VZ: Why didn't you call Qwabe yourself?

Tongo: Like I told you, it's because Monde knew the men.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

News24 ‏@News24 1m1 minute ago

Judge: You and others met, agreed there would be a hijacking, did you know there would be 2 firearms?

Tongo: I had an idea