South Africa Case Law

S v Hobkirk (SS99/00)

S v Hobkirk (SS99/00) [2000] ZAGPHC 26 (22 September 2000)

Court

High Courts - Gauteng

Case number

SS99/00

Judge

Willis

The court found that the accused's version of events was inconsistent, contradictory, and not reasonably possibly true. The eyewitness testimonies, forensic evidence (fingerprint and footprint), and admissions made before a magistrate were accepted as credible and corroborated by similar fact evidence. The expert psychological testimony established the accused's profile as a serial killer and provided motive for the otherwise inexplicable crimes. The totality of the evidence permitted no reasonable inference other than that the accused intentionally and unlawfully killed the three deceased pe…

Source excerpt

• Murder
• Similar Fact Evidence
• Admissibility Of Confessions
• Expert Psychological Evidence
• Intention
• Credibility Of Witnesses

S v Matsuib (372/1989)

S v Matsuib (372/1989) [1989] ZASCA 2 (28 February 1989)

Court

Supreme Court of Appeal

Case number

372/1989

Judges

Botha, Hefer, Eksteen

The court dismissed an appeal against a death sentence, holding that psychological evidence did not establish mitigating circumstances for murder.

• Mitigating Circumstances
• Murder Sentencing
• Expert Psychological Evidence
• Moral Blameworthiness
• Murder-sentencing
• Mitigating-circumstances