Oscar’s family deny Twitter rumours

Oscar Pistorius weeps in the dock during his trial at the High Court in Pretoria. File picture: Chris Collingridge

Oscar Pistorius weeps in the dock during his trial at the High Court in Pretoria. File picture: Chris Collingridge

Published May 27, 2014

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Johannesburg - Murder accused Oscar Pistorius was at Weskoppies psychiatric hospital on Monday for a mental evaluation and was not at home, family spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said.

She denied a suggestion on Twitter that the athlete spent the day at home with a visiting pastor.

“This meeting took place over the weekend. Oscar spent the whole day at Weskoppies yesterday (Monday) as per the requirements of the court order,” Burgess said on Tuesday.

Pistorius began a 30-day mental health evaluation at Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria on Monday.

American pastor Robert Tillman Kendall posted a photograph of himself and Pistorius on Twitter on the same day just after 5pm.

Kendall tweeted: “Oscar Pistorius gave me lunch in his home today in Pretoria, S Africa. Please, please do pray for him.”

Burgess said Pistorius was at the hospital the whole day on Monday.

Pistorius was admitted as a day patient by the hospital following an order by Judge Thokozile Masipa in the High Court in Pretoria.

Three psychiatrists and one clinical psychologist would evaluate Pistorius to determine whether his general anxiety disorder and his disability had an effect on him when he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

One psychiatrist was appointed by the defence, one by the court, and another by the hospital.

Pistorius is charged with the murder of Steenkamp.

He shot her dead through the locked door of his toilet in his Pretoria home. He has denied guilt, saying he thought she was an intruder about to open the door and attack him.

The State contends he shot her during an argument.

He is also charged with three contraventions of the Firearms Control Act Ä one of illegal possession of ammunition and two of discharging a firearm in public. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Sapa

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