Dewani on his way to SA

Shrien Dewani 

London - British businessman Shrien Dewani was on Monday finally extradited from Britain to South Africa to stand trial for allegedly ordering a hit on his wife Anni. 

Anni Dewani was killed during a staged hijacking in Gugulethu, Cape Town, in 2010, while they were on honeymoon. 

"Shrien Prakash Dewani, 34, has today, 7 April, at approximately 20:00 [21:00 GMT] been extradited from the UK to South Africa," said a Scotland Yard statement.

Dewani will make his first court appearance in South Africa in the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town on Tuesday.

He would appear before Judge President John Hlophe at 11:30. 

The justice department declined to reveal which exit he would use to leave the Cape Town International Airport or his expected landing time, citing security concerns.

Dewani claims he and Anni were kidnapped at gunpoint as they drove through Gugulethu in a taxi.

He was released unharmed. The next day his wife's body was found in the abandoned car. She had been shot dead. 

Dewani has denied any part in the murder and has been fighting extradition the United Kingdom until he has recovered from mental health problems, including severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The high court will have the final say on whether he is fit to stand trial, a justice department official said on Monday.

"The court obviously decides that after hearing counsel on the matter as usually happens in court," provincial justice head Hishaam Mohamed told journalists in a technical briefing at the court.

Justice department spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said at the briefing Dewani would be kept at a medical facility in Cape Town, but declined to give further details.

Mohamed said Dewani would be taken straight to the high court in a "one-stop justice process", where he would be charged with conspiracy to commit murder and defeating the ends of justice.

Mhaga reminded the media that Dewani had the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"It is for this reason that there will be no provision for him to be photographed prior to his court appearance," Mhaga said.

"Media will have an opportunity to film him in court, but as soon as the judge walks in, all cameras should be off and removed from the courtroom."