Brits – Murder accused Mark Warona Zinde suffered from schizophrenia, the Brits Regional Court heard on Wednesday.
Francois Joubert, for Zinde, told the court that the defence disputed Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital's assessment on the mental state of Zinde, which had found that the 23-year-old who stands accused of murdering his mother, former SABC board member Hope Zinde, last year, was fit to stand trial.
"The defence disputed certain aspects of that report and findings of that report, in order to dispute the finding of the report, the defence appointed Dr John Weinkove, who is also a psychiatric," Joubert said.
He said Dr Weinkove's finding was that Zinde suffered from schizophrenia and recommended that a CAT scan of the brain must be conducted.
Joubert applied to the court for Zinde to be admitted at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria for evaluation of his mental state.
"Weskoppies has the infrastructure, or authority as psychiatric hospital, to refer the accused to a necessary institute for a CATscan..."
Zinde is accused of murdering his mother who was a former journalist and television news anchor.
The State alleges he killed his mother, 50, 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.
He is also facing a separate charge of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm at the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court.
Mark Zinde was arrested in November last year for allegedly attacking his father, Dr Lebohang Manoto, at his Walkerville home, south of Johannesburg.
Manoto, who took him in after he was released on R10 000 bail, laid charges of assault against his son at De Deur police station.
His bail was revoked on December 19 following his arrest, for not abiding by his bail conditions.