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Oscar to be day patient at Weskoppies

A member of his legal team reaches out to South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius (L) as he covers his ears with his hands while a witness gives testimony and recounts the night of the crime during the fourth day of his trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on March 6, 2014. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MARCO LONGARI
A member of his legal team reaches out to South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius (L) as he covers his ears with his hands while a witness gives testimony and recounts the night of the crime during the fourth day of his trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on March 6, 2014. AFP PHOTO / POOL / MARCO LONGARI

Nel said it was necessary to send Pistorius for evaluation in case the disorder might have affected his behaviour on February 14 last year, when he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Murder-accused Oscar Pistorius would be admitted as a day-patient at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital for mental observation, the High Court in Pretoria ordered on Tuesday.

"The accused [must] be an outpatient at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital," Judge Thokozile Masipa said.

She said the athlete should go in on May 26 at 9am. Pistorius would go in every weekday, she said.

"That the accused remains at the Weskoppies hospital until 4pm daily," she said.

She said the appointed psychiatrists and psychologist will submit reports as they are concluded.

Records of the trial proceedings be made available, she said.

The matter was postponed to June 30.

Last Monday, forensic psychiatrist Merryll Vorster told the court Pistorius had general anxiety disorder. Based on this, the State applied to have him referred.

Nel said it was necessary to send Pistorius for evaluation in case the disorder might have affected his behaviour on February 14 last year, when he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius is charged with murdering Steenkamp. He shot her dead through the locked door of his toilet at his Pretoria home.

Pistorius has denied guilt, saying he thought she was an intruder about to open the door and attack him. The State contends he shot her during an argument.

He is also charged with three contraventions of the Firearms Control Act -- one of illegal possession of ammunition and two of discharging a firearm in public. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges as well.

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