A psychiatrist who evaluated Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in the trial for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, has suffered a heart attack.
But this is not expected to delay the trial, which resumes on Monday, the prosecution say.
Mr Pistorius is due to complete a 30-day psychiatric assessment on Friday.
The judge in his trial ordered the tests after a defence witness said the double amputee was suffering from Generalised Anxiety Disorder (Gad).
Mr Pistorius denies intentionally killing his girlfriend and says he accidentally shot her through the toilet door on Valentine’s Day last year in a state of panic, mistaking the 29-year-old model and law graduate for an intruder.
Mr Pistorius checked in as a day patient to Pretoria’s Weskoppies psychiatric hospital on 26 May, where he has been assessed by a team of health experts for seven hours a day.
Three psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist were tasked to determine whether his state of mind and disability had an effect on him when he shot Ms Steenkamp.
South Africa’s eNCA broadcaster earlier reported that the psychiatrist’s heart attack may have caused a delay in the handing over of the Paralympian’s psychiatric evaluation report.
The psychiatrist in question, Dr Leon Fine, had not yet signed the report, according to eNCA’s website.
The prosecution had argued the tests were essential after forensic psychiatrist Merryll Vorster, who diagnosed the athlete with Gad, told the court he was “a danger to society”.
The defence vigorously opposed the move.
The court in Pretoria is expected to hear the outcome of the medical tests when the trial resumes on Monday.
South Africa’s eNCA broadcaster earlier reported that the psychiatrist’s heart attack may have caused a delay in the handing over of the Paralympian’s psychiatric evaluation report.
The psychiatrist in question, Dr Leon Fine, had not yet signed the report, according to eNCA’s website.
The prosecution had argued the tests were essential after forensic psychiatrist Merryll Vorster, who diagnosed the athlete with Gad, told the court he was “a danger to society”.
The defence vigorously opposed the move.
The court in Pretoria is expected to hear the outcome of the medical tests when the trial resumes on Monday.
Source: BBC