BRITS, February 21 (ANA) – The son of former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board member Hope Zinde, accused of her murder will go trial at the High Court in Pretoria in June.
Mark Warona Zinde, 23, appeared briefly in the Brits Regional Court on Tuesday and his trial date was set for June 12.
He is accused of killing his mother Hope Zinde, 50, former SABC board member, journalist and television news anchor.
The State alleges that he killed his mother at their home in Pecanwood Estate, Hartbeespoort Dam near Brits in June last year. He is facing a charge of murder and possession of drugs.
His mother’s body was found on June 11 2016, inside the boot of her car.
He was referred to undergo psychiatric evaluation at the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria following his arrest in June. The assessment report declared that he was fit to stand trial and he was capable of understanding court proceedings. The report further stated that he did not suffer any mental disorder when he allegedly killed his mother.
The family insisted that he was not in his right mind when he allegedly killed his mother. The defence disputed the reported and wanted him to be re-admitted at Weskoppies for a computed tomography (CAT scan) of his brain and an electroencephalogram (EEG) to be conducted.
The court dismissed his application to be re-admitted at Weskoppies.
Zinde is also facing another charge of assault with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm at the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court.
He was arrested in November last year, for allegedly attacking his father Dr Lebohang Manoto, at his Walkerville home, south of Johannesburg.
– African News Agency (ANA)
