S v Khoza en Andere

• Jurisdiction: South Africa
• Citation: 1984 (1) SA 57 (A)

S v Khoza en Andere
1984 (1) SA 57 (A)

1984 (1) SA p57

Citation	1984 (1) SA 57 (A)
Court	Appèlafdeling
Judge	Viljoen AR, Howard Wn AR en Hefer Wn AR
Heard	September 5, 1983
Judgment	September 26, 1983

Flynote : Sleutelwoorde C

Strafproses — Getuienis — Bekentenisse en erkennings — Bekentenisse — Toelaatbaarheid van — Wet 51 van 1977 art 217 (1) — Afneem van bekentenisse deur vrederegters in die persone van polisieoffisiere, die ondersoekbeampte ens — Al is dit "onreëlmatig", is die primêre vraag steeds of die bekentenis voorskrifte van art 217 (1) gemaak is — Veroordeling van voormelde praktyke ("onrëelmatighede") moet nie gesien word as die daarstelling van toelaatbaarheidsvereistes anders as of benewens dié van art 217 (1) nie — Sodanige "onrëelmatigheid" slegs een van die faktore wat in aanmerking geneem moet word.

Headnote : Kopnota

Die afneem van bekentenisse deur vrederegters in die persone van polisieoffisiere en (soos in een geval in casu ) deur die ondersoekbeampte en die gebruik van polisiemanne as tolke is in 'n aantal gewysdes veroordeel en bekentenisse is in die lig van sulke "onreëlmatighede" ontoelaatbaar bevind. Dit moet egter steeds beklemtoon word dat die primêre vraag by die beoordeling van die toelaatbaarheid van enige bekentenis is of dit volgens die voorskrifte van art 217 (1) van die Strafproseswet 51 van 1977 gemaak is, dws vrywillig, ongedwonge en sonder onbehoorlike beïnvloeding. Die veroordeling deur die Howe van voormelde praktyke moet nie gesien word as die daarstelling van toelaatbaarheidsvereistes anders as of benewens dié van art 217 (1) nie. Telkens wanneer 'n bekentenis in die lig daarvan uitgesluit is, is immers duidelik aangedui dat dit geskied het omdat dit, in die omstandighede van die bepaalde saak, twyfel laat ontstaan het of die bekentenis vrywillig gemaak is, aangesien so 'n "onreëlmatigheid" slegs een van die faktore is wat, saam met al die ander beskikbare inligting, gebruik word om te oordeel of die bekentenis in ooreenstemming met die vereistes van art 217 (1) gemaak is.

Flynote : Sleutelwoorde

Criminal procedure — Evidence — Confessions and admissions — Confessions — Admissibility of — Act 51 of 1977 s 217 (1) — Taking down of confessions by peace officers in the persons of police officers, the investigating officer etc — Even though "irregular", the primary question is still whether the confession was made in accordance with the requirements of s 217 (1) — Condemnation of aforementioned practices ("irregularities") not to be seen as the establishment of requirements for admissibility different or additional to those of s 217 (1) — Such an "irregularity" is only one of the factors which should be taken into account.

Headnote : Kopnota

The taking down of confessions by peace officers in the persons of police officers and (as in one case in casu ) by the investigating officer and the use of policemen as interpreters has been condemned in a number of decided cases and confessions have been held to be inadmissible in the light of such "irregularities". It must, however, still be emphasised that the primary question in the adjudication of the admissibility of any confession is whether it was made in accordance with the requirements of s 217 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977, ie voluntarily, freely and without undue influence. The condemnation by the Courts of the

1984 (1) SA p58

aforementioned practices must not be seen as the establishment of requirements for admissibility different or additional to those of s 217 (1). Whenever a confession has been excluded in the light of such practices, it has indeed been clearly indicated that it had been done because it had, in the circumstances of the particular case, raised doubts as to whether the confession had been voluntarily made, as such an "irregularity" is only one of the factors which, together with all the other available information, is used to decide whether the confession was made in accordance with the requirements of s 217 (1). B

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