Harmse 'liked to sharpen sword'

2008-08-27 23:09

Amanda Roestoff

Johannesburg - The so-called sword killer apparently regularly sharpened his favourite katana sword.

That, Beeld reports, is according to a reliable source.

Morné Harmse, 18, a matric at Nic Diederichs Technical High School, is accused of killing 16-year-old fellow pupil Jacques Pretorius with a sword.

He then allegedly stabbed and injured another boy and two gardeners.

Harmse, who appeared in the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, was referred to the Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital for evaluation.

His parents, Liza and Machiel, told Beeld they would not be giving any more interviews on the advice of their lawyer, Dolf Jonker.

Liza, tears streaming down her face, said the family was still trying to get to grips with what had happened.

The couple sat in court along with some students, who appeared to be from Nic Diederichs Technical High School.

Harmse seemed very nervous in court, averting his gaze from the public gallery.

Prosecutor Engela van der Merwe read the court a letter from a psychiatrist who had evaluated Harmse.

The psychiatrist, Dr MM Molefe-Lutheko, said Harmse had told her that he'd seen a ghost in a field on the smallholding which his parents rent.

The ghost, he said, had told him to become a Satanist.

Molefe-Lutheko recommended Harmse be sent for psychiatric evaluation.

She apparently made a big question mark before the words "personality disorder".

Magistrate Erina Breedt told Harmse that three psychiatrists and a psychologist would assess if he could gauge the difference between right and wrong and whether he was fit to stand trial.

The case was postponed until September 26.

- Beeld