Pretoria - The extradition case for Shrien Dewani, the man wanted for allegedly masterminding a hit on his wife Anni Dewani, has been set for May 3 at Woolwich Crown Court in London.
The court has set a further preliminary hearing for March 23, which will allow and ensure that the State and the defence are able to submit their papers on time. The full extradition hearing in May is expected to last three days.
Dewani did not attend court, with his lawyer indicating that he is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
The court was told four main issues lie at the heart of Dewani's refusal to consent to extradition, including illness and receiving a fair trial.
The case, which has sparked huge international interest, was heard at Belmarsh Magistrate's Court in East London, having moved from a much smaller venue at Westminster Magistrate's Court, which struggled to cope with the numbers attending.
Anni was killed while the couple was honeymooning in South Africa in November last year. Shrien Dewani claimed the couple was hijacked while they were driving through Khayelitsha and that he was forced out of the vehicle.
Anni's body was found in the abandoned vehicle the next day. She had been shot.
Dewani returned to the UK shortly after his wife's death and was arrested thereafter. Zola Tongo, the man who chauffeured the couple, claimed in court that Dewani gave him R15 000 as payment to kill Anni. Tongo was sentenced to an effective 18 years imprisonment for his role in the crime.
