Shrien Dewani hospitalised after suspected suicide bid update

31-year-old Dewani, is currently out on bail fighting extradition to South Africa, was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary on Sunday afternoon after taking an overdose of pills, the reports said.

Dewani, a care home owner from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, is accused of ordering the shooting of his wife Anni, 28, in November last year. He has denied any involvement in the murder.

According to South African police, he had paid three hit men 1,300 pounds to fake the hijack of his taxi and kill his wife near Capetown.

Max Clifford, Dewani's spokesman, told The Times his client had been suffering from "severe post-traumatic stress disorder" and that he had lost a lot of weight in recent weeks.

Clifford said: "There has been a build-up over weeks and weeks - doctors have become increasingly concerned. He's lost a lot of weight - 12kg in the last few weeks - and is not sleeping. His family is very,very worried." But, he would not confirm whether Dewani had tried to kill himself.

Quoting a source, The Sun reported, "Shrien was found at home on Sunday afternoon. He had taken a load of pills and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. He's OK now physically but mentally he's still suffering."

Dewani has not been able to attend his recent extradition hearings because of ill health. His next hearing is due on March 23 while the extradition hearing is set for May 3.
His family, meanwhile, claimed that Dewani would not receive a fair trial in South Africa.
In a television interview at the weekend, the head of South Africa's prosecuting authority described Dewani as a murderer and a fugitive. Menzi Simelane said Dewani had committed a "very heinous crime" before he "ran out of the country".

The taxi driver, Zola Tongo, was jailed for 18 years in December, claimed that Dewani had paid him to have his wife killed. Two others, Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadodo Qwabe are to in court this Friday charged with murder, robbery and kidnap.

Pretty Anni, born in Sweden, died on honeymoon after the couple's taxi was hijacked in Cape town's Gugulethu township.

The couple was travelling through Gugulethu when they were ambushed by two men who appeared to threaten their driver, Zola Tongo, and ordered him out of the car before also ejecting Anni. She was found shot dead in the back of the car several hours later.
Dewani and his late wife, both of Indian descent, had married in India two weeks before arriving in South Africa for their honeymoon.