Hope Zinde’s son to undergo psychiatric evaluation

17 June 2016 - 13:27 By TMG Digital
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Warona Mark Zinde “was not aware of what he was doing at the time” his mother was killed.

This was one of the claims made during his appearance on Friday in the Brits Regional Court on charges of murdering his media personality mother Hope Zinde.

The case was postponed for 30 days‚ during which Warona will undergo psychiatric evaluation at Weskoppies.

Hope Zinde's body was reportedly found in the boot of her car at Pecanwood‚ an upmarket housing estate in Hartbeespoort last week.

A family friend got worried when he had failed to the 50-year-old on her phone since last Wednesday.

On Friday‚ in a founding application by Hope's mother‚ Audrey Zinde‚ it was claimed that the accused was not mentally stable and said Warona was once taken to Vista in 2013 for rehabilitation for drugs. Vista Clinic is a private psychiatric hospital in Centurion.

The application said Hope had “noted certain behavioural patterns” in Warona‚ including withdrawal symptoms; bizarre behaviour‚ he was aggressive and violent‚ possessed poor insight and locked himself up.

It also said that‚ when visited by family members in custody‚ Warona would not speak or communicate with them.

The state did not oppose the application made by the defence.

His appearance comes a day after his family held a memorial service for his mother.

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He made an appearance in the same court earlier this week during which the state said he had been charged with murder and the possession of drugs.

A TV and radio journalist at the SABC from 1991 to 2006‚ Hope Zinde was appointed to the public broadcaster's board in 2013.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi fired her along with colleagues Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi - apparently because they did not support Hlaudi Motsoeneng's appointment as chief operations officer.

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