A trial into the death of model Reeva Steenkamp resumed in South Africa today, with the court hearing that Oscar Pistorius was “not mentally ill” when he shot her at his home in Pretoria last year.
The proceedings had been adjourned to allow for a mental evaluation of the athlete, after the defence claimed that an underlying anxiety disorder could have an impact on Pistorius’ criminal responsibility for Reeva’s death.
However, following a 30-day study at Weskoppies Hospital in Pretoria, the court was told today that the 27-year-old was able to tell right from wrong at the time of the shooting and was not suffering from a mental illness.
According to The Telegraph, a report showed that, although Pistorius suffered from a level of anxiety, there was no evidence to suggest that he was affected by a generalised anxiety disorder. However, it was noted that the events of the night had left him with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
Tempers were raised later today when it emerged that an electrical cord from the house where the death occurred had gone missing since the property was secured by South African police. Defence lawyer Barry Roux requested access to the cord, which had been raised by the prosecution after it appeared in crime scene photos, but was informed by police that it was “not on the list of seized items”.
Roux subsequently requested an affidavit from the member of the police who was responsible for securing the house and it is understood that he will use this to highlight inadequacies in the State’s handling of the case. It also emerged that the property where the shooting took place has since been sold to an unnamed buyer to pay for Pistorius’ legal fees.
