The British husband of the bride hijacked and killed on their honeymoon in Cape Town, South Africa, has been accused of paying for the attack.

The claim was made by the prosecutor at the Western Cape High Court today.

The South African prosecuting authority accused British businessman Shrien Dewani of paying two hitmen 15,000 rand (£1,400) to murder his wife.

He has always denied any involvement in her death.

Mrs Dewani’s father, Vinod Hindocha, flew in from his home in Sweden to hear state prosecutor Rodney de Kock outline the case implicating his son in law.

The dramatic twist came as the prosecutor outlined the terms of a plea bargain deal agreed with Zola Tongo, the taxi driver hired by Shrien Dewani to drive the couple around on the day of the murder.

He told Judge President John Hlophe: “The deceased was murdered at the instance of her husband.

Dewani’s spokesman, Max Clifford, indicated yesterday that his client understood that the accusation would be made but insisted it had “absolutely no substance”.

The newlyweds were hijacked on the evening of Saturday Nov 13, just a few days into their luxury South African honeymoon.

They were driving back to their five-star hotel in central Cape Town when they took a detour through Gugulethu townships, where two gunmen hijacked the taxi.

According to Dewani, after they had robbed the couple of all their valuables, the men kicked him out of the taxi.

His wife’s body was discovered several hours later in the back of the abandoned taxi. She had been shot in the neck.

Three men have so far been arrested in connection with the incident. They are the 31-year-old driver plus Xolile Mngeni, 23 and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, 25.

The three South Africans have all been charged with murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

Meanwhile Dewani’s friends claim he has been set up by South African police to pin the horrific killing on someone other than a South African.

A Memory of Anni Dewani Facebook page has been set up.