Sisters’ alleged killer sent to Weskoppies for evaluation
FRANS Seroba, the man accused of the double murder of his wife and sister-in-law, will face a possible trial next year.
He appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday after the case was postponed again last week to secure a bed for him at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.
Seroba is alleged to have shot and killed his wife Martha in 2007 in their Buccleuch, Sandton, home and drove to Braamfontein to shoot her sister, Sarah Makwati, at her work.
The case has been postponed more than 20 times in the past seven years and continues to face delays due to the many psychiatric reports and assessments on Seroba and the constant change of legal representatives.
When the trial was supposed to finally start, two weeks ago, Seroba’s lawyer told the court his client was unfit for trial and brought in a doctor to testify about his condition.
The doctor, Jacobus Roux, explained to the court that Seroba had been diagnosed with bipolar and psychotic disorders.
Seroba had told the court that he heard the voice of God talk to him, had a worm growing in his belly and was a black Jew destined for greater things.
Yesterday, prosecutor Leonie Makoko told Judge Bert Bam that an appointment had been made for Seroba at Weskoppies on January 5 for 30 days to assess whether he was fit to stand trial.
Outside court, the family of the slain sisters said all they could do was wait – something they had been doing for seven years already.
The case was again postponed to February.