Murder accused Cathy van Oudtshoorn‚ who is on trial for shooting her adoptive-father-turned-husband‚ was referred to the Weskoppies psychiatric hospital for evaluation on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old admitted in the Pretoria High Court on Monday that she had shot her husband‚ Chris van Oudtshoorn‚ 58‚ in their Brakpan home in 2016. She told the court that she had pulled the trigger after experiencing two decades of sexual abuse. She claimed that she suffered non-pathological criminal incapacity when she shot him.
The mother of two is accused of murder‚ robbery‚ possession of a firearm‚ unlawful possession of ammunition‚ and having intentionally defeated or obstructed the course of justice.
On Monday the Pretoria High Court heard her distressing version of events about her life and marriage to Chris van Oudtshoorn‚ an electrical engineer.
In a statement to court‚ reported on by Times Select‚ she claimed to have been subjected to years of sexual abuse. “I walked to the safe in the bedroom and got the gun out... I cannot explain what I was thinking of‚ I just could not take another night. I then walked to the lounge and pulled the trigger‚” she said in her statement.
This was taken into account when she claimed that she had suffered non-pathological criminal incapacity when she pulled the trigger.
As it stands‚ the court awaits confirmation from Weskoppies as to whether they can admit her with her newborn baby.
The case has been postponed to August 16.
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