Cannibalism case postponed due to incomplete mental observation

Legal Aid lawyer for accused number one, Ms Hadebe, did not oppose the postponement.

Accused number one, Nino Mbatha is still undergoing a mental assessment.

The cannibalism case suspects were back in the dock at the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court, KwaZulu-Natal, this morning, Estcourt News reports.

The state reported to the court that the mental assessment of accused number one, Nino Mbatha, is incomplete.

Doctors at Fort Napier Hospital in Pietermaritzburg requested a further five days to complete Mbatha’s report.

He was admitted into Fort Napier Hospital during the second week of March, after he was found mentally and emotionally unstable.

Legal Aid lawyer for the accused, Hadebe did not oppose the postponement, as only five days were requested.

Magistrate Sookraj announced to the three remaining accused – Lungisani Magubane‚ Khayelihle Lamula‚ and Sithembiso Sithole that Mbatha’s mental report is outstanding, as she referred to a letter from the hospital.

The case will continue once the court has Mbatha’s mental assessment report next Monday. The three accused will remain in custody until the case resumes on April 16.