S v Van Wyk

• Jurisdiction: South Africa
• Judgment Date: 19 November 1996
• Citation: 1997 (1) SACR 345 (T)

S v Van Wyk
1997 (1) SACR 345 (T)

1997 (1) SACR p345

Citation	1997 (1) SACR 345 (T)
Court	Transvaalse Provinsiale Afdeling
Judge	Stafford R, Swart R en Joffe R
Heard	October 16, 1996
Judgment	November 19, 1996
Counsel	J H Jordaan namens die appellant; M van Jaarsveld namens die Staat

Flynote: Sleutelwoorde

Appèl — Beoordeling van — Watter getuienis inaggeneem kon word op appèl — Getuienis ten opsigte van versagtende omstandighede en toegewings deur appellant se advokaat ten opsigte van vonnis — Hof nie geregtig in appèl teen skuldigbevinding om appellant se erkenning van aanspreeklikheid in ag te neem nie — Semble: Hierdie 'n aangeleentheid wat in die toekoms aandag behoort te geniet — Uit die oogpunt van gesonde verstand gronde, in bepaalde C gevalle, waar op appèl met vrug teruggekyk kan word na die getuienis in geheel.

Moord — Vonnis — Lewenslange gevangenisstraf — Appellant, 'n lid van ver-regse organisasie wat die heerskappy van blankes ten doel gehad het, skuldig bevind aan drie klagtes van moord — Moorde koelbloedig, brutaal en D grusaam — Alhoewel appellant 'n jong eerste oortreder was wat dalk beïnvloed is deur 'n ouer persoon, was vonnis van lewenslange gevangenisstraf 'n gepaste vonnis.

Headnote: Kopnota

Die appellant is in 'n Provinsiale Afdeling aan verskeie aanklagtes insluitende drie aanklagte van moord, twee aanklagte van roof, een aanklag van poging tot roof, E aanklagte van die onregmatige besit van vuurwapens, huisbraak met die opset om te steel en diefstal en motordiefstal skuldig bevind. Die appellant is tot drie lewenslange gevangenisstrawwe en 49 jaar gevangenisstraf gevonnis.

Die appellant het appèl aangeteken teen sy skuldigbevinding op aanklag nr 7, 'n aanklag van huisbraak met die opset om te steel en diefstal, en teen die vonnise wat F hom opgelê is, asook die kumulatiewe effek daarvan. Wat betref die skuldigbevinding op aanklag nr 7, het die Hof op appèl addisionele betoogshoofde versoek oor die vraag of getuienis ten opsigte van versagtende omstandighede gebruik kon word op appèl ter ondersteuning van die skuldigbevinding en of toegewings wat deur 'n beskuldigde se advokaat in sy betoog ten opsigte van vonnis gemaak is aangewend kon word op appèl ter ondersteuning van 'n appèl. Hierdie versoek het verwys na G sekere getuienis wat 'n mede-beskuldigde ter versagting van vonnis gelei het wat die appellant by die pleging van die klagte in aanklag nr 7 betrek het en na sekere toegewings wat die appellant se advokaat voor vonnisoplegging gemaak het.

Die Hof het die reg toegepas soos dit was voor die wysiging van art 277 van die Strafproseswet 51 van 1977 by art 4 van Wet 107 van 1990. Die Hof was van H mening dat onder bepaalde gevalle, met voldoende inagneming van die moontlikheid van benadeling van die beskuldigde, daar uit die oogpunt van gesonde verstand gronde was waarby op appèl met vrug teruggekyk kon word na die getuienis in geheel, insluitende dus ook wat gevolg het na skuldigbevinding. Die Hof het egter bevind dat die erkenning van aanspreeklikheid van die appellant, hetsy deur die optrede van sy advokaat, hetsy deur sy eie optrede deur by te sit en niks te doen nie, gedek word I deur die ratio in S v Mooi 1990 (1) SASV 592 (A) op 610i en die Hof op appèl derhalwe nie geregverdig sou wees om ter stawing of andersins kennis te neem van voormelde erkenning nie. Die Hof het egter bygevoeg dat dit 'n aangeleentheid was wat in die toekoms moontlik heroorweeg behoort te word. Die Hof het egter bevind dat op die oorblywende getuienis die Staat die appellant se deelname in die misdaad bo redelike twyfel bewys het. J

1997 (1) SACR p346

Wat betref die vonnis het die Staat aangevoer dat in die lig van die bepalings van art A 32(2)(a) en (b) van die Wet op Korrektiewe Dienste 8 van 1959 dit van akademiese belang sou wees om te besin oor die kumulatiewe effek van die opgelegde vonnisse indien die vonnisse van lewenslange gevangenisstraf bekragtig word aangesien die artikel onomwonde bepaal het dat die opgelegde vonnisse saam met die vonnisse van B lewenslange gevangenisstraf uitgedien moes word en dat die meerdere vonnisse van lewenslange gevangenisstraf ook gelyktydig uitgedien moes word. Na 'n ontleding van die regspraak hieromtrent het die Hof beslis dat die debat oor die kumulatiewe effek van die 49 jaar gevangenisstraf akademies was indien die lewenslange gevangenisstraf 'n gepaste vonnis was. Die Hof het gevolglik die versagtende en verswarende omstandighede ontleed. Dit het geblyk dat die appellant 'n lid was van 'n ver-regse C organisasie wat ten doel gehad het om wapens te bekom en om ter bevordering van die blanke ras verset te bied teen die verandering in die politieke bestel in Suid-Afrika. Die organisasie, wat uit vier lede bestaan het, was goed georganiseer en toegerus. Dit het geblyk dat die moorde koelbloediglik en op 'n brutale en grusame manier gepleeg is. Die tweede en derde moorde is gepleeg nie om teenstand te oorkom nie maar om D uitkenning te verhoed. Dit het verder geblyk dat die appellant nie egte berou oor veral die moorde gehad het nie. Alhoewel die appellant 21 jaar oud was ten tye van die pleging van die misdrywe, hy 'n eerste oortreder was en tot 'n mate deur die sienings van sy medebeskuldigde se vader beïnvloed is, was die Hof van mening dat die vonnisse van lewenslange gevangenisstraf gepas was. E

Flynote: Sleutelwoorde

Appeal — Adjudication of — Which evidence can be taken into account — Evidence in respect of mitigating circumstances and admissions by appellant's advocate relating to sentence — Court not entitled in appeal against conviction to take into account appellant's admission of liability of responsibility — F Semble: This is a matter which ought to receive attention in the future — From the point of view of common sense there are grounds for looking back on appeal at the evidence as a whole.

Murder — Sentence — Life imprisonment — Appellant, a member of an extreme rightwing organisation which pursued the goal of White dominance, convicted G of three counts of murder — Murders committed in cold-blooded, brutal and gruesome manner — Although appellant a young first offender who had perhaps been influenced by an older person, sentence of life imprisonment an appropriate sentence.

Headnote: Kopnota

H The appellant was convicted in a Provincial Division of various charges, including three counts of murder, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, two counts of the unlawful possession of firearms, one count of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft and motorcar theft. The appellant was sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment and 49 years' imprisonment. I

The appellant noted an appeal against his conviction on count number 7, a count of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, and against the sentences which had been imposed on him as well as the cumulative effect thereof.

With regard to the conviction on count number 7, the Court on appeal requested additional heads of argument on the question of whether evidence in respect of mitigating circumstances could be utilised on appeal in support of the conviction and whether concessions made by accused's advocate in his J

1997 (1) SACR p347

submissions on sentence could be used on appeal in support of the appeal. This A request referred to certain evidence which a co-accused had led in mitigation of sentence which implicated the appellant in the commission of the offence in count number 7 and to certain concessions which the appellant's advocate had made prior to sentencing.

The Court applied the law as it was before the amendment of s 277 of the Criminal Procedure Act by s 4 of Act 107 of 1990. The Court was of the opinion that in certain B circumstances, with due regard to the possibility of prejudice to the accused, from the point of view of common sense, there was merit in looking back on appeal at the evidence as a whole, including that which ensued after conviction. The Court held however that the admission of liability by the appellant, whether by the action of his advocate or by his own conduct in not giving evidence under oath, was covered by the C ratio in S v Mooi 1990 (1) SACR 592 (A) at 610i and the Court on appeal was accordingly not entitled to take account of such admissions in support of the conviction or otherwise. The Court added however that this was a matter which in the future ought to be reconsidered. The Court held however that on the remaining evidence the State had proved the appellant's participation in the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. D

With regard to the sentence the State submitted that in the light of the provisions of s 32(2)(a) and (b) of the Correctional Services Act 8 of 1959 it was of academic interest to consider the cumulative effect of the imposed sentences if the sentences of life imprisonment were confirmed as the section provided in clear terms that the sentences imposed had to be served concurrently with the sentence of life E imprisonment and that the further sentences of life imprisonment also had to be served concurrently. After an examination of the law on this issue, the Court held that the debate on the cumulative effect of the 49 years' imprisonment was of academic interest if the sentence of life imprisonment was an appropriate sentence. The Court accordingly examined the mitigating and aggravating circumstances. It appeared that F the appellant was a member of an extreme rightwing organisation which had as its goal the obtaining of firearms to assist the white race to offer resistance to the changed political system in South Africa. The organisation, which consisted of four members, was well organised and equipped. It appeared that the murders had been committed in a cold-blooded, brutal and gruesome manner. The second and third murders were...