Psych exam for accused zoo murderer
The man accused of murdering his co-worker at Canberra’s zoo will undergo a psychiatric assessment before his case returns to court.
Jude Wijesinghe is accused of stabbing 29-year-old Tshewang Choden in a kitchen area at the National Zoo & Aquarium on December 18.
When police arrived, they allegedly found Ms Choden, a Bhutanese national, dead in a storeroom at the back of the kitchen.
Wijeseinghe, who was working as a sous chef at Jamala Wildlife Lodge, was taken to hospital with allegedly self-inflicted injuries.
Wijesinghe has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder.
Earlier this year, the court heard police had seized evidence from Wijesinghe’s house, including a half-empty box of rodent-bait.
Police had also seized the knife suspected of being used in the stabbing from the zoo lodge’s storeroom, as well as a plastic water bottle with suspected rodent bait inside it.
In December, police confirmed the pair were co-workers.
“An autopsy is yet to be performed, but at this stage we believe (the victim) died from being stabbed with a knife. The knife was found at the scene,” ACT Police said at the time.
“The man was taken to hospital to be treated for what appear to be self-inflicted injuries and he remains in a stable condition.”
In a brief mention before registrar Banks in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, his lawyer asked for a “lengthy adjournment” after commissioning a psychiatric assessment.
Mr Wijesinghe appeared via videolink on Thursday, where registrar Helen Banks agreed to adjourn his matter until June 17.
He remains in custody.