Convicted hitman: 'There was a husband who wanted his wife to be killed'

Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 29, came face to face with Anni Dewani's family as he told the Western Cape High Court in South Africa: "There was a husband who wanted his wife to be killed."

Qwabe was contacted by Zola Tongo, the Dewanis' taxi driver in Cape Town, the day before the killing.

The witness, already serving a 25-year sentence for his role in the murder, demanded a fee of 15,000 rand (around £830 at today's rate) to carry out the attack on the 28-year-old bride, having been told by Tongo: "Somebody needs to be killed."

It came as a record of agreed facts in the case released by the court showed that Dewani, who told the court he was bisexual in a defence statement, was browsing the same-sex dating website Gaydar, and Recon - described as "the world's largest hook-up for gay men into fetish sex, leather and gear" - during his honeymoon and within days of his wife's death.

The admissions show that Dewani was logged into Gaydar while waiting with his new bride for their connecting flight to Cape Town. He also logged on to Gaydar three times between November 15 and November 16 - each time for nearly an hour - as well as Recon twice during the same time period.

The admissions, which were not referred to in court today, also disclosed that members of the victim's family recorded a conversation with Dewani in the wake of her death.

Standing in the witness box and seeing Dewani for the first time since the murder, Qwabe said he was concentrating on the road while fellow assassin Xolile Mngeni killed Mrs Dewani.

The pair later split the cash before Qwabe went for a night out "socialising", he said.

He told the court: "On the Friday (November 12 2010) I received a call from Monde (Molombe, a friend).

"He told me that there was a job that needed to be done.

"(Tongo) subsequently told me somebody wanted somebody to be killed. Do I know anyone?

"He asked what we needed. I said 15,000 (rand)."

Asked by prosecutor Adrian Mopp to explain what happened on the day of the murder, Qwabe said: "There was a husband who wanted his wife to be killed.

"Anni would be killed and it needed to look like a hijacking.

"Nothing would happen to the husband and Zola (Tongo)."

Prosecutors say Dewani hatched a plot to kill his bride because he wanted out of the marriage.

The 34-year-old businessman, from Westbury-on-Trym near Bristol, said he could be controlling and intense, but he maintained that he and his wife were in love with each other.

Qwabe said he and Mngeni arranged for transport to meet up with the Dewanis' cab for the attack, during which the millionaire's mobile phone would also be taken as part of the ruse.

He told the court: "Zola phoned later on and said he was at the restaurant. He told me that the job needed to be done that evening.

"The husband wanted the wife to be killed that same evening."

Describing the carjacking, former Table Mountain tour guide Qwabe said: "(Mngeni) had the gun.

"As it (Tongo's car) approached, I got into the driver's side. (Mngeni) got into the passenger side and Zola got into the back. I saw in the (rear view) window a guy and behind me was a lady.

"I ordered Zola to get out of the car. He told me the money was in a pouch behind the front passenger door."

Qwabe said they drove further into a township.

"I stopped the vehicle, I asked the husband to get out of the car."

Asked by the prosecutor if there was any resistance from Dewani to leave, he said he did not recall.

"The husband was now out of the vehicle and I drove on," Qwabe said.

He said he was behind the wheel when Mrs Dewani was fatally wounded.

Qwabe said: "I heard a gunshot. (Mngeni) said 'I shot the lady'.

"I pulled over on to the pavement and stopped the car. I saw she was on the back seat of the car.

"I had quick glances at the wife - she was in the back seat. I think she was lying."

He said he had "no sense" of whether she was still alive or not.

"I took a quick glance at her but I was also looking for the gun casing," he added.

"He (Mngeni) takes out the money," Qwabe said, adding that 10,000 rand was in the pouch and 4,000 rand was seized from "the husband".

Qwabe said he went home briefly before going out to "socialise".

"It was Saturday evening," he said.

Dewani, again wearing a dark suit, white shirt and a black tie, stared at Qwabe as the prosecution witness was ushered hurriedly into the courtroom, just inches from where Dewani was sitting in the dock.

Qwabe, from the Khayelitsha township where Mrs Dewani's body was discovered on November 14 2010, has already confessed to murder, kidnapping, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm.

Qwabe admitted that he had previously lied in court at a bail hearing before he eventually admitted his guilt over Mrs Dewani's death in 2012.

Francois van Zyl, representing Dewani, said: "At that bail hearing you testified under oath you pleaded not guilty because you said you had an alibi. Is that a lie?"

Qwabe replied: "My lawyer at the time told me to plead not guilty."

Pressing further, Mr van Zyl said: "I repeat the question. Was that a lie under oath?"

Qwabe answered: "Yes."

Qwabe said there were no conversations with Tongo about how the victim would be killed, only that it had to look like a hijacking.

Mr van Zyl asked: "You never had a discussion about how this woman was going to be killed?"

"No, sir," Qwabe said.

He said it was not decided who would strike the fatal blow, what weapon would be used, or where the killing would take place.

Dewani, extradited to South Africa after a four-year battle, denies hiring Tongo to arrange the killing. He denies murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, and defeating the ends of justice.

In court on Monday, on the first day of his trial, he said he was bisexual and had indulged in sexual relations with male prostitutes.

The trial, which is listed to last for two months, was adjourned until tomorrow.