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Brits – The case against the son of murdered television personality Hope Zinde has been transferred to the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Mark Warona Zinde, 23, appeared in the Brits Regional Court on Tuesday morning.
His lawyer, Francois Joubert, said the matter was postponed to June 12.
Zinde's murder and assault cases will be heard in the High Court.
"We will apply that he be re-admitted to Weskoppies, because his mental state is not very well," Joubert said on Tuesday.
During his last appearance in the Brits Regional Court, Joubert argued that Zinde suffers from schizophrenia, a severe long-term mental health condition.
Joubert asked the court that Zinde be re-admitted to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria. Zinde was sent there in June for assessments and a report was finalised.
Stopped functioning socially
In order to dispute the report, the defence appointed a psychiatrist, Dr John Weinkove, to assess Zinde's mental state. Weinkove differed with the "Review of Condition" Dr Coetzee at Weskoppies compiled.
"I believe Zinde suffers from schizophrenia with predominantly negative features. I recommend that he should be re-admitted to Weskoppies for a review of his condition," Weinkove said in a statement Joubert had read to the court.
According to Weinkove's statement, Zinde stopped functioning socially about four years ago. This suggested the onset of his mental illness.
He recommended a computed tomography (CAT scan) of Zinde’s brain, as well as an electroencephalogram (EEG).
He said there appeared to be a history of similar illness in his father's family. His mother was described as having mood swings, which could point to susceptibility to schizophrenia.
Zinde was arrested in June 2016, after his 50-year-old mother's body was found in the boot of her Range Rover at her home in Pecanwood Estate, Hartbeespoort.
At the time, it was reported that a friend had struggled to get hold of her for a few days and that her son had refused to open the door. He only opened it when police arrived.
Prosecutor Hanna Conradie argued that four other psychiatrists had already evaluated Zinde at Weskoppies. All of them had found he had criminal capacity and could distinguish between right and wrong and follow court proceedings.
