Acid accused to undergo mental observation
A man accused of throwing acid over his former girlfriend will undergo a mental assessment, the Star newspaper reported on Friday.
Investigating officer Edith Thaisa reportedly told the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday she would immediately take Jan Pieterse to a district surgeon as per the magistrate's order.
The district surgeon would determine whether Pieterse should be referred to the Sterkfontein psychiatric hospital for a month.
Pieterse allegedly tried to kill his ex-girlfriend Ines Antonio by throwing acid over her in Sydenham on November 3. She sustained burns to her face and chest.
Their daughter, who was with Antonio at the time, sustained minor burns to her arms.
The Norwood Community Police Forum reportedly assisted Antonio to move to a safe house fearing for her safety if Pieterse was released.
The forum's Tania Sani said a women's rights organisation had agreed to take Antonio in with her four-year-old daughter.
(File photo: Gallo Images)