Anni Devani was an Indian-born Swedish engineer who was murdered on her honeymoon, just two weeks after her marriage. She was married to Shrien Devani, who is a British millionaire, on 29 October 2010. Their taxi was hijacked by two robbers while on their honeymoon in South Africa, resulting in Annie’s murder on 13 November 2010.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Annie Ninna Hindocha was born on Friday, 12 March 1982 (age 28 at the time of death) in Mariestad, Sweden. After marriage, she changed her full name to Anni Ninna Devani. His zodiac sign was Pisces. She was working as a product designer in a Swedish company.
Physical Appearance
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye colour: brown
Family
parents and siblings
His father’s name is Vinod Hindocha and mother’s name is Neelam Hindocha. His brother’s name is Anish Hindocha and sister’s name is Ami Denborg. His uncle’s name is Ashok Hindocha.
Anni Devani’s parents (center), sister (far right), and brother (far left)
husband and children
Anni Devani married Shrien Devani on 29 October 2010. He is a British millionaire who owns a nursing home.
Anni Devani on her wedding day
Relationship and marriage with Srien Devani
Anni Devani and Shrien Devani were in a relationship for a year before marrying each other. They met in 2009 through a mutual friend. Then, she was living in Sweden; However, they moved to the United Kingdom in May 2010 and their engagement was announced in the same month. The couple got married on 29 October 2010 at Lake Powai near Mumbai, India. Soon after the wedding, they also decided to arrange a reception party in 2011 for those who could not attend their wedding ceremony.
Firstnight of marriage
In November 2010, Anni Devani and Shrien Devani decided to stay for four nights in the Kruger National Park in South Africa and thus, they landed at the Cape Town International Airport on 7 November 2010. The couple hired a taxi driver named Zola Tongo. Cape Grace Hotel, South Africa.
murder of anni devani
The pair hired Zola Tongo’s taxi to travel and tour the city until 13 November 2010. They went to a BBQ restaurant (Mzolis) in Gugulethu and a surfside restaurant and resort called The Strand in Western Cape Town. Immediately after having the meal, they went back to Gugulethu township. On Gugulethu’s main road, two gunmen hijacked the couple’s taxi at gunpoint. After some distance, the robbers threw the taxi driver out of the taxi and after driving the taxi for twenty minutes, they also pushed Srien Devani out of the taxi. The robbers took away all Srien Dewani’s valuables and money before throwing him out of the taxi. The passerby helped Srien to call the police and inform him about the kidnapping and robbery. Annie Dewani’s body was found by Western Cape Police in Lingelethu West on 14 November 2010, a day after her kidnapping, in the back seat of the same VW Sharan taxi in which the couple were travelling. The police made a statement that all valuables such as a Giorgio Armani wristwatch, a white-gold and diamond bracelet, her handbag and her Blackberry mobile telephone were missing from Annie’s body and described it as a case of robbery.
The abandoned taxi in which Anni Devani’s body was found
post mortem
Anni Devani’s post-mortem report states that she died from a gunshot wound that hit her directly through her neck. Injuries to his leg showed that he had struggled before being shot; But, there were no signs of sexual harassment. The Western Cape Town Police handed over Annie Dewani’s body to her family members as well as her husband on 17 November 2010. Six months after her death, Annie Devaney’s family members immersed her ashes in Lake Vänern, which was Annie’s favorite place. Residence in Mariestad, Sweden.
Anni Devani’s family members scattering Anni’s ashes
Revelations by friends and media
Following Anni’s murder, it was revealed in media conferences by mutual friends of Anni Devani and Shrien Devani that the couple were often involved in fights and arguments. Both of them were strong willed. A friend of Anni Devani also said that Anni had broken off the relationship in January 2010; But, they soon resolved their differences. Reportedly, Shreen was suffering from hormonal complications that affected her ability to have children; However, Anni wanted children and to fulfill her wish, Srien was ready to undergo treatment. At the same time, it was also reported that Shrien was bisexual and had relations with gay prostitutes of Birmingham. This news was confirmed and during the court hearing Shrien Devani himself confessed that he is gay.
Arrests and court cases
Western Cape Police arrested Xolile Mangeni on 16 November 2021, based on telephone records, CCTV footage and handprints found on the taxi. Xolele Mangeni admitted that he had hijacked the taxi with Mziwamadoda Qwabe for the purpose of robbery. Mangeni further confessed that Mziwamadoda Qwabe had shot Annie Dewani in a struggle to snatch her handbag. Mangeni was also allowed to speak to a middleman named ‘Monde Mbolombo’, who was arrested by the police on 18 November 2010.
A CCTV footage of Monde Mbolombo talking to taxi driver Zola Tongo in November 2010
In his statement to police, Mziwamadoda Qwabe said the couple were victims of a robbery. During further investigation, Qwabe changed his statement on the same day within five hours of his first statement that husband Shrien Devani was planning to murder his wife. On November 20, 2021, cab driver Zola Tongo also confessed that Srien Dewani had conspired to murder his wife.
A photo of Zola Tongo during a court hearing
He also claimed that Shrien had paid the gang £1,400 to kill his wife. The bandit, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, was sentenced to 25 years in prison under section 105A in February 2011.
Mziwamadoda Qwabe during a court hearing
The other mobster, Xolele Mangeni, was also sentenced to life imprisonment, but he succumbed to a brain tumor during the court session and died in Goodwood Center of Excellence prison on 18 October 2014.
Xolele Mangeni was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Anni Dewani
Cabbie ‘Zola Tongo’ was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment in Malmesbury. In 2014, Shrien Devani was acquitted of all murder charges as he proved himself innocent and put the blame on the three main accused.
Shrien Devani during his court cases
An excerpt from a statement by Shrien Dewani
Following the verdict, Anni Dewani’s family members said in a media conference outside the court that their right to know the truth as to ‘why Anni was murdered’ was taken away from them after Srien was acquitted by the court. They said,
We came here looking for answers and truth and all we got were more questions. We waited patiently for four years to hear what really happened to Anni… We just wanted to hear all the events and the hope of actually finding out kept us, as a family, moving forward. Have motivated for. “Unfortunately we believe this right has now been taken away from us.”
Annie’s sister Ami Denborg with her brother and father outside the Western Cape High Court in 2014
Monde Mbolombo was not punished and was released after a warning under the provisions of Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act. On 19 November 2015, the verdict was delivered by the Director of Public Prosecutions and damages were awarded in the murder of Anni Devani.
documentary
On 16 November 2021, a documentary named ‘Annie – The Honeymoon Murder’ was released on Discovery Channel.
Poster of the documentary ‘Anni – The Honeymoon Murder’
The documentary was available to watch online on Amazon Prime Video and was broadcast on the Discovery Plus channel. It was released on the eleventh death anniversary of Anni Dewani. The story of the documentary was based on events told to the documentary team by the so-called middleman ‘Monde Mbolombo’. He cried while telling the team about the robbery and said he was not proud of what he had done. He said,
Tongo came up to me and said, “Do I know any hitmen?” I was shocked.’ The husband wants the wife to be murdered.”
Monde Mbolombo said that Tongo replied,
So this man wants his wife murdered and makes it look like a kidnapping.”
He added,
I’m not proud of what I did.”
Monde Mbolombo speaking to Discovery Plus Channel
Death
Anni Devani’s body was found in the back seat of the taxi in which Anni Devani was traveling on 14 November 2010 in Gugulethu, South Africa. The case was investigated by Western Cape Police, who reported that the driver of the taxi was thrown out of the car before the two robbers drove off with the couple in the taxi.
Facts/General Knowledge
- His full name was Anni Ninna Hindocha.
- Annie Hindocha’s great-grandfather moved from Uganda to Sweden in the early 1970s because Asians living there were expelled by the Ugandan President. Annie Hindocha’s family found refuge in Sweden and settled in Mariestad, Sweden where Annie was born and raised.
Anni Devani’s childhood picture
- Anni’s father ‘Vinod Hindocha’ released a book titled ‘Anni Devani: A Father’s Tale’ in 2014. Soon after announcing the book’s publication, she said in a media conference that her daughter was a very happy-go-lucky personality, full of life. energy. He further said that Anni’s husband was the main accused who was roaming free and the verdicts in the court cases had been turned against him. They said,
She was full of life and energy. This was one of the happiest moments of his life. We had to deal with her death and the fact that her husband was the main accused in the case. The verdict and the court case went against us and it is sad that Shirin walked free. As a family, we are still dealing with the effects of the case.
Coverpage of a book written by Anni’s father
- Anni Devani’s father met with a terrible accident on 11 March 2015 in which his hand was severed while servicing a lift.
- Anni Dewani’s uncle Ashok Hindocha had once told a media house outside the South African court that Anni was a very happy person and always laughed at small things. He further said that it was a mystery to his entire family as to why Anni was murdered a few days after the marriage. He said,
She was very bubbly, very happy. Very happy person. Always laughing, always joking, making everyone happy wherever she went. Yet, today, we don’t know exactly what happened. But this question was still bothering me, why kill Anni? This brings a lot of uncertainty. Guessing what happened and knowing what happened are two different things. We want to know what happened.”
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn