The husband of murdered bride Anni Dewani begged robbers to take his wedding ring to spare his wife – moments before she was shot dead, his brother revealed today.
Multi-millionaire Shrien Dewani, 30, offered the car-jackers everything the newlyweds had – including their engagement and wedding rings, jewellery, cash and mobile phones during the incident in Cape Town, South Africa.
He then bravely struggled with the gun-toting robbers before they thrust him out of their people carrier and drove off.
The car was later found abandoned with beautiful bride, Anni Dewani, 28, dead on the back seat – she had been shot three times from point blank range.
Shrien’s brother Preyen Dewani tragically revealed the couple had decided to go to South Africa because the name combined their two initials – ”S” and ”A”.
He said the couple had been in a chauffeur-driven Volkswagen Sharan on the main road back to Cape Town on Saturday (13/11) when the attack happened.
“Two men brandishing shotguns jumped into the car”
They had just enjoyed an evening meal in Somerset West, an upmarket suburb in the wine regions, 50km east of the city.
Preyen, 32, said: ”They were on their way back to their hotel at about 10pm when a car in front of them forced them to slow down and stop.
”Two men brandishing shotguns jumped into the car and forced the driver to drive off at speed.
”After about ten minutes they threw the driver out, and after driving on they threatened the two of them and said they were going to split them up.
”Shrien offered them everything they had, their wedding and engagement rings, their watches, cash and mobile phones.
”The robbers took these items and then told Shrien to leave the vehicle.
”He refused, and after a struggle they pushed him out of the vehicle as it was driving along, and threatened to shoot Anni if he did not leave.”
After being thrown out of the car in Harare, an area of the Khayelitsha township, Mr Dewani flagged down a passing motorist and called the police.
“There were no signs of a struggle”
A search failed to find the car, so local police scrambled a force helicopter and brought in every available officer to help find Anni.
The first the family heard was when a frantic Mr Dewani phoned from his Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, to explain what had happened.
They were updated throughout the night, but at 7am on Sunday police found Anni’s body in the rear of the car, which had been dumped in nearby town Lingelethu West.
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