High Court of South Africa Eastern Cape, Grahamstown - 2015 May

2 judgments
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2 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
May 2015
Appellant's age, intoxication and remorse insufficient to establish substantial and compelling circumstances to avoid prescribed life sentence.
Criminal law – Minimum sentences – Section 51(1) and Part 1 of Schedule 2, Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997 – murder committed in course of rape attracts prescribed life sentence unless substantial and compelling circumstances exist; Malgas principles reiterated. Sentencing – weight of remorse, guilty plea, youth, intoxication and first‑offender status when considering deviation from prescribed sentences. Appellate review – intervention permissible only for material misdirection or improper exercise of discretion.
28 May 2015
Reported
Multiple penetrations in one encounter may be charged as a single rape; 15-year sentence upheld despite prescribed life option.
Criminal law – Sexual offences – Rape – Multiple penetrations during a single encounter may be charged as one count – Part I Schedule 2 read with s 51(1) prescribes life where victim raped more than once – adequacy of charge and warning ascertained in open court – substantial and compelling circumstances can justify lesser sentence.
5 May 2015