A Durban man who stabbed his mother to death a day before Mother’s Day in May 2023 has been found not criminally responsible for her death.
Krishen Pillay, 40, was found to not be mentally fit to stand trial and will be detained at the Fort Napier Hospital.
Pillay, who suffers from schizophrenia, was arrested shortly after the murder on the morning of May 13, 2023 at their Glen Anil home.
It is believed that Pillay and his mother Debigee Pillay, a housewife, had an argument over the cleaning of his room which led to the stabbing.
Pillay, 65, died from her injuries.
He was also also charged with the attempted murder of his sister, who is a medical doctor.
Top Durban attorney Anand Nepaul represented Pillay.
In court proceedings in the Durban Magistrate’s Court, it was stated that following observation at Ford Napier and subsequent reports, an inquiry by the courts found that Pillay was not in a proper state of mind at the time of the incident and was also unable to understand the proceedings of a trial.
According to the findings on the reports, the accused is not capable of understanding the proceedings or not capable of understanding the wrongfulness of his actions.
It further states that Pillay committed the act in question, and that at the time of such commission, was by reason of mental illness or intellectual disability not criminally responsible for the act.
In terms of Section 78, the court found that the accused not guilty (of murder) by reason of mental illness or intellectual disability.
The next stage will be for him to be admitted to a psychiatric facility until he suitable to be released into society.
IOL News