The man accused of murdering Chumani Nqakula is still waiting in line to be admitted to hospital for his mental fitness to stand trial to be evaluated.
The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court heard this on Monday when Carlos Higuera‚ 24‚ appeared in court briefly.
Higuera allegedly stabbed Nqakula‚ the son of defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and former minister Charles Nqakula‚ in the chest in Bezuidenhout Valley‚ Johannesburg‚ last month.
Defence advocate Jabulani Maluleke previously told the court that he did not believe Higuera was mentally stable and asked the court to refer him for 30 days of psychiatric evaluation.
The court also heard that Higuera has a history of mental illness and is on medication for schizophrenia.
Magistrate Albertus Roux granted the application‚ but a month later Higuera is no closer to being admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Higuera is number 169 on a waiting list at Sterkfontein Hospital and has been since he was first referred a month ago‚ the court heard.
Roux said that it was odd that Higuera had not moved up the list in a month. He postponed the case to January 18‚ expressing the hope that a hospital would be able to accommodate Higuera by then.
Higuera is in police custody.
No hospital bed for Nqakula murder accused
The man accused of murdering Chumani Nqakula is still waiting in line to be admitted to hospital for his mental fitness to stand trial to be evaluated.
The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court heard this on Monday when Carlos Higuera‚ 24‚ appeared in court briefly.
Higuera allegedly stabbed Nqakula‚ the son of defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and former minister Charles Nqakula‚ in the chest in Bezuidenhout Valley‚ Johannesburg‚ last month.
Defence advocate Jabulani Maluleke previously told the court that he did not believe Higuera was mentally stable and asked the court to refer him for 30 days of psychiatric evaluation.
The court also heard that Higuera has a history of mental illness and is on medication for schizophrenia.
Magistrate Albertus Roux granted the application‚ but a month later Higuera is no closer to being admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Higuera is number 169 on a waiting list at Sterkfontein Hospital and has been since he was first referred a month ago‚ the court heard.
Roux said that it was odd that Higuera had not moved up the list in a month. He postponed the case to January 18‚ expressing the hope that a hospital would be able to accommodate Higuera by then.
Higuera is in police custody.
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