Najwa Petersen, accused of murdering her showbiz husband Taliep Petersen, has started her 30-day observation and evaluation period at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital, the Star newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Her transfer from Worcester Prison to Valkenberg was confirmed by a senior National Prosecuting Authority official, who said she would not be allowed to have any visits at the hospital.
Last week, Magistrate Robert Henney denied bail for 45-year-old Petersen and one of her three co-accused, Abdoer Raasiet Emjedi (42) in the Wynberg Regional Court.
Henney ordered that she be kept in the hospital section at Pollsmoor Prison until a bed became available for her at Valkenberg.
But Pollsmoor warders turned Petersen away because the prison’s hospital is being renovated. She was then taken to Worcester.
Petersen, Emjedi, Waheed Hassen (30) and Jefferson Snyders (30) are accused of murdering music legend Taliep Petersen in his Athlone, Cape Town, home in December.
After denying Petersen bail on Thursday, Henney ordered that three psychiatrists as well as a clinical psychologist be appointed to form an evaluation panel.
The panel would conduct observation and evaluation, which would determine whether Petersen was mentally fit to stand trial, whether she would be mentally capable to follow court proceedings and if she had the capacity to commit a crime.
Petersen was ordered to return to court on August 10. – Sapa