Spanish doctor who allegedly killed his twins must remain in Pollsmoor hospital section

25 April 2017 - 15:48 By Aphiwe Deklerk
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A bid by a Spanish doctor‚ accused of murdering his twins‚ for a single cell at Pollsmoor prison has been thwarted.

Mario-Ceasar Deus Yela is being held in Pollsmoor's hospital section.

His application was initially declined by Pollsmoor officials. According to state prosecutor Louise Freister-Sampson this was on the advice of a state psychiatrist.

In court on Tuesday Magistrate Goolam Bawa also refused to have Yela moved.

Yela appeared in the dock following an earlier postponement for a psychiatrist to examine him.

Addressing the court Freister-Sampson said Yela had written to prison authorities requesting to be moved. He complained that he could not sleep in the noisy environment where inmates smoked.

His lawyer‚ William Booth‚ had claimed that the hospital section of the prison was overcrowded and that it housed around 25 inmates.

Booth complained to the court that his client could not properly consult with his psychiatrist‚ Professor Tuviah Zabow.

He said the consultation was constantly being interrupted by prison officials.

“The consultation did not take place in a confidential scenario at all‚'' said Booth.

He also lamented that one of the lawyers from his firm was not allowed to accompany Zabow.

He then requested time for a proper consultation.

Booth said the state was still denying Zabow access to the state’s case which had information that could be used to make an assessment.

Yela is divorced but he was in the country to see his children.

He was arrested on April 7‚ the day he was reportedly due to return to Spain. According to the state he allegedly confessed to his ex-wife that he had killed their three-year-old twins.

The case has been postponed to May 10.

-TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

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