‘Free feeling’ man to undergo psychiatric evaluation after allegedly decapitating mother

The 25-year-old man accused of killing his mother by decapitating her has yet to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for observation because of Covid-19.

Zimbabwean national Tinashe Chitsere briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where his matter was postponed as he had not yet been admitted to Weskoppies psychiatric hospital.

The State said there was a backlog as patients were not being admitted to Weskoppies because wards were being used for Covid-19 patients.

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Gauteng health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana clarified to News24 that Weskoppies has a Covid-19 isolation ward and a Patient Under Investigation ward for patients at the facility.

While these wards would contribute to longer waiting times for a bed to become available, space at the state psychiatric hospital had always been a challenge.

Arrest

Chitsere is accused of murdering his mother on 8 September 2020, in an informal settlement in Hercules, Pretoria.

It was previously reported that Chitsere was arrested in the North West while carrying his mother’s head in a bag.

He also allegedly admitted to police that he had murdered his mother. The State alleged that Chitsere beheaded his mother with a knife.

The motive for the murder was not yet known.

District surgeon report

During Chitsere’s first appearance, the court ordered that he undergo mental evaluation, following a request by the State.

The State handed up the district surgeon’s medical report on Chitsere, which stated that he should undergo psychiatric evaluation because he suffers from hallucinations and delusions.

According to the report, Chitsere was calm and knew the date, time, and place.

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The report also indicated that he would be able to follow the court case, that he understood the implications of a possible conviction, could describe the circumstances of the alleged crime, and could recall relevant facts.

However, while the district surgeon reported that Chitsere did not have amnesia, it was found that he experienced “hallucinations and delusions”.

Feels ‘free’ after mother’s death

Chitsere reportedly told the district surgeon he believed his mother’s murder was expected of him on a spiritual level.

He also said he felt free after the death of his mother.

The district surgeon recommended that Chitsere undergo psychiatric evaluation, which would determine whether he was compos mentis (of sound mind) and if he could be held criminally liable for the crime.

The matter was postponed to 18 February, with Chitsere expected to start his evaluation once a bed became available.

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