S v Ngubane

• Jurisdiction: South Africa
• Citation: 1980 (2) SA 741 (A)

S v Ngubane
1980 (2) SA 741 (A)

1980 (2) SA p741

Citation	1980 (2) SA 741 (A)
Court	Appellate Division
Judge	Jansen JA, Miller JA and Botha AJA
Heard	February 15, 1980
Judgment	February 28, 1980

Flynote : Sleutelwoorde

Criminal law — G Murder — Sentence — Extenuating circumstances — What constitute — Belief in witchcraft — Such belief can be less than 'profound' — Degree of intensity of belief, however, an important factor — No rule in such cases that finding that extenuating circumstances are H present can only be made when 'fear is the spur' — But whether killer acted under the influence of genuine fear is a relevant factor — Decision of trial Court that no extenuating circumstances present where appellant had been paid to kill a 'witch' even though he may have been influenced by the fact that deceased was a 'witch' confirmed on appeal.

Headnote : Kopnota

On a charge of murder, one who acted on a belief in witchcraft which might have been less than 'profound' but was nevertheless genuine is not necessarily to be excluded from the benefit of a finding of extenuating circumstances. But

1980 (2) SA p742

the degree of intensity of the belief is a highly important factor, for the more intense such belief is, the greater the sense of fear or apprehension it induces. While it cannot be laid down as a rule that in this type of case it is only when 'fear is the spur' that a deliberate A killer is entitled to a finding of extenuating circumstances, it is always helpful to consider whether the killer acted under the influence of genuine fear, whether in regard to his own future safety, or of those to whom he stood in a protective relationship, or even the community in general. If the element of genuine fear or apprehension was lacking, it might be appreciably more difficult for the deliberate killer to persuade the Court that his moral guilt was reduced merely because in some vague B way he believed in the existence of witchcraft and generally regarded those who practised it as undesirable members of society who should be eliminated. The ultimate enquiry, which is a subjective one, whenever the question arises whether a particular circumstance is extenuating, is into the wrongdoer's state of mind in relation to that circumstance at the relevant time.

C The Court, in an appeal from a finding in a Circuit Local Division that there were no extenuating circumstances present in the murder of the deceased, confirmed such finding where the appellant had been hired to kill the deceased, had been paid thereafter and had been induced by the promise of financial reward to kill the deceased. The Court found that it had not been shown that the appellant was induced by genuine, personal fear or apprehension to kill the deceased, or that he acted disinterestedly in what he sincerely believed to be the common good, in D dispatching one who could be a danger to the community, even though it might have been that what the appellant had been told by his hirers concerning the deceased and witchcraft influenced him to the extent that it might have eased his conscience and been of some consolation to him that the person he was to kill was one who was regarded as a witch. E

Case Information

Appeal from a sentence of death imposed in the Northern Circuit Local Division of the Natal Provincial Division (BROOME J and assessors). The facts appear from the judgment of MILLER JA.

C Steyn for the appellant at the request of the Court: Dit word nie betwis F dat beloning die dominante beweegrede was nie, maar die Verhoorregter het fouteer deur die omliggende omstandighede uit perspektief te fokus, net asof beweegrede en omstandighede nie beide gelyktydig operatief kan wees nie. S v Van der Berg 1968 (3) SA te 252F - G; S v Petrus 1969 (4) SA te 92B - C. Die soeklig moes liewer op die omstandighede geval het, en op die appellant ten einde antwoorde te vind op die volgende vrae: (i) Kon G hierdie omstandighede betrekking gehad het op die geestesvermoëns of gemoed van die beskuldigde? (ii) Indien wel, het sodanige omstandighede die beskuldigde wel beïnvloed? (iii) Was die beïnvloeding van so 'n aard dat die beskuldigde se daad daardeur minder laakbaar beskou kan word? S v Babada 1964 (1) SA te 27 - 28. Die Verhoorhof moes pertinent aandag gegee H het aan die vergelyking tussen die dader se persoonlike verwytbaarheid vir die daad soos hy dit gepleeg het, met uitsluiting van versagtende omstandighede, en sy persoonlike verwytbaarheid met inagneming van sulke omstandighede. S v Petrus (supra te 91F). Beskuldigde nr 2 het appellant vertel dat die oorledene heksery bedryf teen haar huisgesin en dat hy reeds twee van haar kinders dood getoor het. Sy het by hom aangedring dat hy hulle moet help. Appellant glo aan heksery en hy glo dat diegene in die maatskappy wat heksery bedryf, doodgemaak moet word. Die regstand is as volg: (a) Die geloof in heksery kan 'n versagtende...