The district surgeon has ruled that Grayson James Beare, accused of killing a Durban mother in the presence of her family, is fit to stand trial.

Beare appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday, facing a charge of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

Preliminary reports allege that in the early hours of June 2, he attacked and stabbed Glenmore resident Halima Hoosen-Preston.

Her husband and 19-year-old son were also injured, with multiple stab wounds.

In a video shared on social media, Beare allegedly claimed his attack was because of the family’s pro-Palestinian stance and alleged that Hoosen-Preston ‘and her family thought it was entertaining that my cousins were killed in Israel’.

Beare was arrested and made his first court appearance on June 4. The matter was adjourned so that he could undergo a mental assessment.

In court yesterday, the prosecution announced that the district surgeon who conducted the assessment on Beare deemed him fit to stand trial.

Beare and his legal representative welcomed the results of his assessment in court.

Following the assessment results, defence attorney Nyameko Jodwana said Beare intended to apply for bail.

Prosecutor Calvin Govender said the state opposed bail on the basis that the murder was premeditated and that there were witnesses known to Beare.

Magistrate Ashwin Singh adjourned the matter to July 11 for a formal bail application.

Read the full article in The Witness.