Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court ordered that murder-accused Johnny Baartman immediately see the district surgeon on Monday, following his alleged suicidal tendencies after his arrest in connection with the murder of his ex-wife, Desiree Baartman.
Desiree’s body was found last Tuesday in a stormwater drain in Jagtersvlakte after she had been missing for almost two weeks.
She was last seen at her house in Nagel Street, Bethelsdorp, on 9 June and was reported missing by Baartman on 14 June.
On Monday, Baartman’s legal representative, Qhamani Sinefu, submitted an application for his client to see the district surgeon for a psychological evaluation to be done on the same day.
The former high school teacher appeared in the dock in the same blue jacket and jeans he wore during his previous court appearance last Thursday, while his mouth and nose were covered with by a blue mask.
Magistrate Dumisani Apollos agreed with Sinefu, and Baartman was ordered to get an evaluation.
Desiree’s family members were not in court on Monday, but Baartman’s brother and a close friend were sitting in the public gallery.
Both refused to speak to the media.
After court, Sinefu told reporters that Baartman was not in the right state of mind and was suicidal, having slit both his wrists shortly after his arrest.
The 59-year-old was first detained for questioning a week after Desiree’s disappearance, following an intensive forensic investigation at the house the divorced couple still shared.
The detainment turned into an official arrest on 19 June and he was charged with attempted murder.
This charge was later amended to premeditated murder and defeating the ends of justice.
It was widely anticipated that Baartman would confess on Monday, but the matter was postponed to Tuesday pending the district surgeon’s report.
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