S v Louw [2004] ZAFSHC 164 (23 September 2004)
- Citation
- [2004] ZAFSHC 164
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- South Africa
- Court
- Free State High Court, Bloemfontein
- Panel
- Lombard, Van Coppenhagen
- Case number
- 1192/2004
More details
- Court
- Free State High Court, Bloemfontein
- Panel
- Lombard, Van Coppenhagen
- Case number
- 1192/2004
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The magistrate erred by imposing a compensation order without a formal application from the complainant or the prosecutor acting on the complainant's behalf, as required by section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The complainant may not have agreed to receive compensation in instalments, and the order thus cannot stand. The conviction is confirmed, but the sentence is set aside in its entirety and the matter is remitted to the magistrate for sentencing de novo.
Court disposition
Conviction confirmed; sentence set aside; matter remitted for sentencing de novo.
Orders
- The conviction is confirmed.
- The sentence is set aside in its entirety.
- The matter is remitted to the magistrate for sentencing de novo.
02
Material facts
Parties
The State
ApplicantEric Louw
RespondentAmounts and remedies
- Stolen Amount: ZAR 7,700
- Monthly Instalment: ZAR 700
03
Procedural history
Posture
Review Application / Review of Magistrate's Sentence
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the compensation order imposed by the magistrate was valid under section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
- 02
Whether the magistrate's sentence should stand given the irregularity in the compensation order.
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The magistrate imposed a suspended sentence and ordered the accused to pay the stolen amount in monthly instalments, based on the accused's offer during mitigation. The magistrate argued that the sentence would have been different if compensation was not ordered.
- Respondent
- No formal application for a compensation order was made by the complainant or the prosecutor on behalf of the complainant, as required by section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The complainant may not have agreed to receive the stolen amount in instalments and could have insisted on a lump sum payment.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Criminal Procedure Act, section 300
A compensation order under section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act requires a formal application by the complainant or the prosecutor acting on the complainant's behalf.
- 02
Criminal Procedure Act, section 300
A compensation order has the effect of a civil judgment and the complainant must be satisfied with its terms.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The magistrate erred by imposing a compensation order without a formal application from the complainant or the prosecutor acting on the complainant's behalf, as required by section 300 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The complainant may not have agreed to receive compensation in instalments, and the order thus cannot stand. The conviction is confirmed, but the sentence is set aside in its entirety and the matter is remitted to the magistrate for sentencing de novo.
Obiter and limits
- The rationale for requiring a formal application for a compensation order is that such an order has the effect of a civil judgment, and the complainant must be satisfied with its terms.
- If the complainant was not willing to accept instalments, he could have insisted on a lump sum payment.
Court disposition
Conviction confirmed; sentence set aside; matter remitted for sentencing de novo.
- The conviction is confirmed.
- The sentence is set aside in its entirety.
- The matter is remitted to the magistrate for sentencing de novo.
Source and reliance status
Free State High Court, Bloemfontein
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
Free State High Court, Bloemfontein
Judgment
IN DIE HOOGGEREGSHOF VAN SUID-AFRIKA
(ORANJE VRYSTAATSE PROVINSIALE AFDELING)
Hersiening no: 1192/2004
In die hersiening van:
DIE
STAAT
en
ERIC
LOUW
_____________
CORAM: LOMBARD et VAN
COPPENHAGEN RR
UITSPRAAK: LOMBARD
R
GELEWER OP: 19 AUGUSTUS 2004
Die beskuldigde is tereg aan die diefstal van R7 700,00 skuldig bevind en is as volg gevonnis:
âNege (9) maande gevangenisstraf opgeskort vir vier (4) jaar op voorwaarde dat beskuldigde nie weer skuldig bevind word aan diefstal of poging daar toe gepleeg binne tydperk van opskorting nie. Verder word beskuldigde beveel om R7 700- 00 by die Klerk van die Hof, Petrusburg in te betaal teen R700 per maand. Eerste betaling van R700 voor of op 30/7/04 en daarna R700 aan die einde van daaropvolgende maande tot Junie 2005 wanneer die laaste betaling van R700 gemaak sal word. Vir oorbetaling aan klaagster vir skade gely.â
In antwoord op my navraag of die vergoedingsbevel in orde is het die landdros beklemtoon dat die beskuldigde ter strafversagting aangebied het om die gesteelde bedrag by wyse van maandelikse paaiemente van R700,00 terug te betaal. Dit kan wel so wees, maar dit los myns insiens nie die landdros se probleem op nie. Artikel 300 van die Strafproseswet bepaal uitdruklik dat ân aansoek vir ân vergoedingsbevel deur die benadeelde of die aanklaer in opdrag van die benadeelde gedoen moet word. Die ratio daarvoor is myns insiens onder meer geleë in die feit dat sodanige bevel die uitwerking van ân siviele vonnis het en die benadeelde gevolglik daarmee tevrede moet wees â in die onderhawige geval mag die posisie wees dat die benadeelde (die klaer) nie bereid is of was om die gesteelde bedrag in maandelikse paaiemente te ontvang nie en kon daarop aangedring het dat dit in een betaling moes plaasvind.
Vanweë die landdros se standpunt dat âindien die skade nie vergoed sou word nie sou die vonnis heelwat anders daaruit gesien hetâ is dit myns insiens in belang van reg en geregtigheid dat die vonnis as sulks deurgehaal word.
Die skuldigbevinding word bekragtig maar die vonnis word in toto deurgehaal en die saak word na die landdros terugverwys vir die oplegging van vonnis de novo.
___
D.J. LOMBARD R
EK STEM SAAM:
_______
G. VAN COPPENHAGEN R
/ec
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