The trial of six-time Paralympics gold medalist, Oscar Pistorius, will resume on Monday after he completed a month psychiatric assessment.
“Inside Games’’, an online publication for upcoming Games and Events, which made the disclosure on Sunday said Pistorius had been attending a psychiatric examination in Pretoria since May 26.
The publication said the assessment was ordered by Thokozile Masipa, the trial judge, following a request by the prosecution after psychiatrist Merryll Vorster, told the court the athlete had generalised anxiety disorder.
It would be recalled that Pistorius was accused of the premeditated murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14, 2013.
Pistorius had denied deliberately killing her, stating that he thought there was an intruder in his home when he fired four shots through a locked toilet door in his Pretoria home.
It said the 27-year-old athlete had been assessed by three psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist for seven hours a day over the last month.
This it said was to determine what effect, if any, his state of mind had on him when he shot Steenkamp.
Psychiatrist Vorster, told the court during his trial last month that the Paralympics champion was a “distrusting and guarded’’ person who was “hyper-vigilant’’ about security.
Pistorius’ lawyers had tried to block him from undergoing the assessment, calling the request “manifestly absurd’’.
The result of the mental health evaluation is expected to be revealed to the court on Monday.
The trial which began on March 3, was nearing the fourth month, including proceedings and adjournments.
