After nearly a year of waiting for a bed at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital, the man accused of the murder of Klawer teen Jerobiojin van Wyk is undergoing a mental evaluation.
Also read: 56-year-old man arrested after police find human remains on his premises
It comes after nearly a year of waiting for a bed to be secured at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Town.
According to News24, this comes after Daniel Smit was arrested last year following the discovery of Jerobiojin’s remains in sewerage pipes at his home.
The incident left the community of the small farming town up in arms, and Smit now faces charges of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice, and failure to report the incident to the police.
The teenager was allegedly killed for stealing mangoes from Smit’s garden.
Following his arrest last year, the accused was referred for psychiatric evaluation, but there were no beds available.
Smit made a brief appearance in the Klawer Magistrates’ Court earlier this month when he learned that a bed at the psychiatric hospital had finally been made available.
News24 further reports that the psychologist, CWA van Zyl, stated to the court in April 2022 that Smit had been involved in Chinese occult rituals since he was 13 years old and had committed a serious assault before his 15th birthday.
The psychologist described Smit as a loner who was suspicious of the motives of others and naive.
According to the report he submitted to the court, Smit found acceptance in getting involved in Chinese occult rituals and having power in social interactions, justifying his anger, rage and retaliation.
Two questions were raised before a referral, according to the National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila.
Firstly, when the accused is before the court, can he follow proceedings and take part?
- Was he/she, at the time of the incident or commission of the offence, capable of.
Secondly, could he distinguish between right and wrong, and could he act accordingly?
‘When either of these questions is raised, and the court is satisfied that the accused falls in one and/or both of the categories, the court is obliged to refer the accused for observation at a designated health establishment, i.e. Valkenberg,’ he said.
Also read:
The Jerobeijn van Wyk case – The boy took fruit, now he is believed to have been murdered
Picture: Bret Kavanaugh / Unsplash
