Cape Town - A Zimbabwean man who killed a man and removed and ate part of his heart, was a danger to society, the Western Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.
Police psychologist, Major Hayden Knibbs, said Andrew Chimboza, 35, had little chance of rehabilitation, but it was possible another psychologist or psychiatrist could reach a different conclusion.
He was being cross-examined by Yasmina Rajab, for Chimboza, during sentencing arguments.
Chimboza pleaded guilty before Judge Ashley Binns-Ward and is to be sentenced next week.
Psychiatric professor Tuviah Zabow, called by the defence, countered that only a protracted, in-depth psychiatric assessment, as opposed to the short time that Knibbs had spent with him, could determine whether Chimboza had any chance of rehabilitation.
Knibbs said he had interviewed Manona's unnamed lover, who told him she had also been Chimboza's lover, prior to her relationship with Manona.
Chimboza, a window tinter by trade, had tinted the windows of the women's home, and had called at the house in June last year to check if she was happy with his work.
Manona had answered Chimboza's knock on the door, and a violent confrontation ensued.
Knibbs said he had introduced himself to Chimboza as a clinical psychologist, before adding that he was also a police officer.
Questioned by Rajab, he said the fact that he was attached to the police could have affected Chimboza, but Chimboza was nevertheless “quite evasive” during the interview.
Knibbs added: “We spoke about the murder, and its consequences, but the accused remained silent when questioned about the mutilation”.
Knibbs said Chimboza was a danger to society, as his level of aggression and violence showed a potential for it to happen again.
He said there was always a “first time” for anything, and that even a serial killer had killed for the first time.
Zabow said his own assessment of Chimboza was that he was not mentally ill, nor did he have any major psychotic disorders.
He said he had discussed the murder and mutilation, to evaluate Chimboza's mental state at the time of the murder, and to assess his inability to recall his actions.
“If the accused elects not to disclose all, there is no organic reason for being unable to do this.
“His extremely aroused emotional state could be the reason for his failure to recall, but there is no indication of mental disease relating to his inability to recall.”
Not enough was known about Chimboza to assess his chances of rehabilitation, Zabow said.
Once Chimboza had been sentenced, psychological and psychiatric services in prison would evaluate and report on his potential to rehabilitate, he said.
The case was postponed to Monday.
Sapa