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South Africa Judgment

High Courts - Eastern Cape

S v Jeneker (070036) [2008] ZAECHC 120 (8 May 2008)

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The reviewing court found that the magistrate committed a procedural irregularity by convicting the accused of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the accused denied intent during questioning under section 112(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act. The magistrate was required, in terms of section 113, to enter a plea of not guilty and proceed to trial. The failure to do so rendered the conviction and sentence invalid. Given the extended delay and the magistrate's ongoing ill health, the court ordered that the conviction and sentence be set aside and the matter be referred back to the trial court for proper procedure, with provision for another magistrate to preside if necessary.

Court disposition

Conviction and sentence set aside; matter remitted to trial court for plea of not guilty and continuation of trial.

Orders

  • The conviction and sentence are set aside.
  • The matter is referred back to the magistrate with the instruction to enter a plea of not guilty in terms of section 113 of the Criminal Procedure Act and to proceed with the trial.
  • If the magistrate is unavailable due to illness, the matter may be heard by another magistrate in accordance with the above directions.

02

Material facts

Parties

Die Staat

Respondent

Andries Jeneker

Applicant

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Review Application / Review of Magistrate's Conviction and Sentence

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The accused pleaded guilty to assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but denied, when questioned by the magistrate under section 112(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act, that he intended to seriously injure the complainant. Despite this denial, the magistrate convicted him as charged. The accused submits that this constitutes a procedural irregularity and that the magistrate should have invoked section 113, entering a plea of not guilty and proceeding to trial.
Respondent
No formal argument was presented by the State in the review proceedings. The matter was referred for review due to the irregularity identified by the reviewing judge, and no response was received from the magistrate despite inquiries.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, sections 112(1)(b) and 113

    Where an accused, during questioning under section 112(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act, denies an essential element of the offence, the magistrate must act in terms of section 113 by entering a plea of not guilty and proceeding to trial.

  2. 02

    S v Nkosi 1980 (3) SA 560 (T)

    A conviction based on a guilty plea is irregular if the accused's responses during questioning do not support all elements of the offence.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The reviewing court found that the magistrate committed a procedural irregularity by convicting the accused of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the accused denied intent during questioning under section 112(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act. The magistrate was required, in terms of section 113, to enter a plea of not guilty and proceed to trial. The failure to do so rendered the conviction and sentence invalid. Given the extended delay and the magistrate's ongoing ill health, the court ordered that the conviction and sentence be set aside and the matter be referred back to the trial court for proper procedure, with provision for another magistrate to preside if necessary.

Obiter and limits

  • It is in the interests of sound administration of justice that the matter be dealt with promptly, even in the absence of the magistrate's reasons.
  • The ongoing delays due to the magistrate's ill health necessitate provision for another magistrate to preside if she remains unavailable.

Court disposition

Conviction and sentence set aside; matter remitted to trial court for plea of not guilty and continuation of trial.

  • The conviction and sentence are set aside.
  • The matter is referred back to the magistrate with the instruction to enter a plea of not guilty in terms of section 113 of the Criminal Procedure Act and to proceed with the trial.
  • If the magistrate is unavailable due to illness, the matter may be heard by another magistrate in accordance with the above directions.

Source and reliance status

High Courts - Eastern Cape

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Judgment text

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Source document

High Courts - Eastern Cape

Judgment

[2008] ZAECHC 120

FORM A

FILING SHEET FOR SOUTH EASTERN

CAPE LOCAL DIVISION JUDGMENT

PARTIES:

DIE

STAAT

TEEN

ANDRIES

JENEKER

Case Number: 070036

High Court: SUIDOOS-KAAPSE PLAASLIKE AFDELING

DATE HEARD: 8 May 2008

DATE DELIVERED: 8 May 2008

JUDGE(S): LIEBENBERG R,

VAN DER BYL WR

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES –

Appearances:

For the Appellants(s):

for the Respondent(s):

Instructing attorneys:

Appellant(s)

Respondent(s):

CASE INFORMATION -

Nature of proceedings : Review

Topic:

Key Words:

IN DIE HOOGGEREGSHOF VAN SUID-AFRIKA

(SUIDOOS-KAAPSE PLAASLIKE AFDELING)

HERSIENINGSNR: 070036

DATUM GELEWER:

IN DIE SAAK TUSSEN:

ANDRIES JENEKER

HERSIENINGS UITSPRAAK

LIEBENBERG, R:

Die beskuldigde was voor die landdros Hankey aangekla van aanranding met die opset om ernstige liggaamlike leed te berokken. Die beskuldigde het skuldig gepleit. Tydens ondervraging deur die landdros ingevolge Artikel 112 (1) (b) van Wet 51 van 1977 (die “Wet”) het sy aan die beskuldigde gevra of hy tydens die aanranding die bedoeling gehad het om die klaagster ernstig te beseer. Op hierdie vraag het die beskuldigde ontkennend geantwoord. Die landdros het hom nogtans skuldig bevind soos aangekla. Die optrede van die landdros stel ʼn onreëlmatigheid daar. Sy moes ooreenkomstig artikel 113 van die wet opgetree het. Weens die vonnis deur die landdros opgelê, is die saak op 27 Maart 2007 voor my gelê vir hersiening.

Op grond van die gemelde onreëlmatigheid het ek ʼn navraag aan die landdros op die voormelde datum gerig. Geen antwoord was nog van die landdros ontvang teen 5 Mei 2008, meer as ʼn jaar later, nie.

Die Hooflanddros van Port Elizabeth het ʼn skrywe aan die Regter President gerig waarin met ʼn aantal hersieningsake waarin navrae aan die betrokke landdros gerig was, gehandel word. Uit die skrywe blyk dit dat al die sake, insluitended die huidige een, reeds vir baie lank uitstaande is sonder dat met die navrae gehandel en die sake afgehandel is. Dit blyk dat die situasie meegebring was deur die landdros se gesondheidstoestand, die voorgeskrewe medikasie en lang tye van siekverlof. Dit blyk dat sy steeds nie in staat is om met haar werk voort te gaan nie en dat sy met siekverlof is tot 27 Junie 2008. Dit is ook onbekend hoe lank haar siektetoestand sal voortduur en hieruit moet afgelei word dat sy moontlik selfs nie na 27 Junie in staat sal wees om haar pligte te hervat nie.

Dit is egter in die belang van gesonde regspleging dat die saak nou mee gehandel moet word, noodwendig sonder die landdros se redes. Omdat die saak reeds so lank uitstaande is, het ek in die bevel wat hierna volg, voorsiening gemaak vir die moontlike afhandeling voor ʼn ander landdros.

Weens die voormelde onreëlmatigheid moet die skuldigbevinding en vonnis ter syde gestel en die saak na die verhoorhof terug verwys word om ʼn pleit van onskuldig in terme van Atikel 113 van die Wet aan te teken en daarna met die verhoor voort te gaan.

Die volgende bevel word gemaak.

Die skuldigbevinding en vonnis word ter syde gestel.

Die saak word na die landdros terug verwys met die opdrag om ʼn pleit van onskuldig in terme van Artikel 113 van die Wet aan te teken en daarna met die verhoor voort te gaan.

Indien die landdros weens omstandighede wat verband hou met haar siektetoestand nie beskikbaar is op die datum van verhoor om met die verhoor voort te gaan nie, mag die saak voor ʼn ander lanndros gebring word om ooreenkomstig paragraaf 2 hierbo op te tree.

_______

H.J. LIEBENBERG

REGTER

VAN DIE HOOGGEREGSHOF

VAN DER BYL, WR:

EK STEM SAAM.

_________

P. VAN DER BYL

WAARNEEMENDE

REGTER VAN DIE HOOGGEREGSHOF

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

S v Nkosi 1980 (3) SA 560 (T)

Case cited

Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977

Legislation

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