Case Law[2024] ZAGPPHC 1377South Africa
S v Maaga (CC72/2023) [2024] ZAGPPHC 1377 (25 October 2024)
High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria)
25 October 2024
Headnotes
to be absent'.
Judgment
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# South Africa: North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria
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## S v Maaga (CC72/2023) [2024] ZAGPPHC 1377 (25 October 2024)
S v Maaga (CC72/2023) [2024] ZAGPPHC 1377 (25 October 2024)
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sino date 25 October 2024
SAFLII
Note:
Certain
personal/private details of parties or witnesses have been
redacted from this document in compliance with the law
and
SAFLII
Policy
IN
THE HIGH COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
GAUTENG
DIVISION, PRETORIA
CASE
NO: CC72/2023
REPORTABLE: NO
OF INTEREST TO OTHER
JUDGES:NO
REVISED: NO
Date: 25 October 2024
In
the
matter
between:
THE
STATE
and
GERALD
TSHEPO MAAGA
JUDGMENT
ON SENTENCE
M
Munzhelele J
[1]
Accused was
convicted of the following offenses:
Count
1, 3, 7, and 11: Contravention of section 4(1) of the Prevention and
Combating of
Trafficking
in
Persons
Act
[1]
,
read
with
the
provisions
of
section
51(1)
schedule
2
Part I of Act
[2]
.
Count
4, 5, and 8: Robbery with aggravating circumstances as contemplated
in
section
1
of the Criminal Procedure Act
[3]
,
read
with
section 51(2) and Schedule 2
,
Part
II
of
Act
105 of 1997
.
Count
2:
Theft
as
a competent
verdict to
robbery.
Count
6:
Extortion
.
Count
9: Contravention of section 4(1)(e) of the Firearms Control
Act
[4]
,
read
with sections 1, 120(10A), and 121
of
Act.
Count
1
0:
Contravention
of section 36 of the General Law Amendment
Act
[5]
.
Count
12: Contravention
of
section 7(a) of
Act
[6]
.
Count
13: Attempted contravention of section
3
of
the Criminal Law
(Sexual
Offences
and Related Matters) Amendment
Act
[7]
.
[2]
The
accused,
in
this
sentencing
trial,
is
represented
by
Advocate
Kgakgara
of Legal Aid,
while
the
state
is
represented
by
Advocate
Roos.
The
state
was
ready
to
proceed,
but the accused had been causing delays throughout. The matter
eventually proceeded.
The
accused
did
not testify or call any witnesses, but the defense counsel presented
the accused
's
personal
circumstances
from the bar.
The state also did
not
call any
witnesses but submitted the victim impact statements as exhibits
"GG1-GG4".
Ona prior
occasion
,
the court had
ordered that a pre-sentence report from the probation officer should
be obtained
.
It was
presented to
court
by
Mr.
Mbatha,
and
handed
in
as
evidence and as
exhibit
"FF".
The
pre-sentence
report
includes a
recommendation
by the
probation officer that the accused be sentenced to imprisonment
for the
offenses for which he was convicted.
[3]
Before
passing
sentence
,
section
274
of the
Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977
,
requires
the
trial
court
to
obtain sufficient information to enable it to impose an appropriate
and just sentence. The purpose is to ensure that the judge
is
well-informed about the relevant facts
of
the
case, the circumstances of the accused, and any other factors that
may affect
sentencing.
In
S
v Samuels
[8]
Ponnan
JA cited with approval the following paragraph from
S
v
Siebert
[9]
:
'Sentencing
is a judicial
function sui
generis.
It should not
be governed by considerations based on
notions
akin to onus
of proof. In this field of law, public interest
requires
the
court
to play
a
more active,
inquisitorial role
.
The accused
should not be sentenced unless and until all the facts and
circumstances necessary for the responsible
exercise
of such
discretion have been placed before the court.'
[4]
Reference
is made to the following statement by Mpati JA in
Rammoko
v
Director
of Public Prosecutions
[10]
:
'Life
imprisonment
is the heaviest sentence a person can be legally obliged to serve.
Accordingly, where
s 51
(1)
applies
,
an accused
must not be subjected to the
risk
that
substantial
and
compelling
circumstances are
,
on
inadequate
evidence,
held
to be absent'.
[5]
Sentencing
the
accused is within the discretion
of
the trial court.
In
S
v
Karan
[11]
where
Davis AJ (Erasmus J concurring)
relied
on the following
statements
by Terblanche A Guide to Sent
encing
in
South Africa 3 Edition
(2016)
at
15:
'That
the power to impose
a
sentence on
a
convicted
offender is the domain of the courts
,
the
judicial authority in South Africa, is
widely
accepted.
This
principle
is
so
deeply
imbedded
in
our
common
law
that
it
is
difficult to find any source containing
a
statement
to this
effect.
'
[6]
The
personal
circumstances of the accused are as follows: He
is
46 years old,
divorced
,
and
the father of a 10-year-old
child
who resides
with the
child's
mother. The
mother is unemployed, and prior to his arrest
,
the accused
maintained the child by contributing six thousand rand
(R6
000, 00) per
month
,
excluding the
costs
of
extramural activities
.
Since his
arrest, the mother has been receiving a child support grant. The
accused completed his matric and, at the time of his
arrest, was
in
his
fourth
year of
studying towards an LLB degree with UNISA
.
He engaged in
business ventures and chicken farming,
employing
two people at
his chicken farm. His businesses generated an income of
twenty-thousand rand
(R20
000
,
00)
per
month
.
He
is
a
first-time offender
and has been an awaiting trial prisoner
for
five (5)
years
,
having
been arrested on
6
July
2019.
The
accused
is
also
a
karate
instructor
,
training
three
hundred
(300)
children in
Pretoria
,
and
is
a
member
of
the
National
Executive Council
of
Karate. He
has
represented
South African karate
in Thailand and Hungary
.
Furthermore
,
he is the
guardian of his grandmother, who was cared for by two employees
,
each earning
three
thousand
five hundred
rand
(
R3
500, 00) per
month. During the sentencing proceedings
,
the accused
received information that both his mother and grandmother had
passed away.
[7]
The victim
impact statement of J[…] M[…]
,
marked as
Exhibit
"GG1
",
contains the
following information provided under oath: She informed the court
,
in
her
affidavit
,
that she has
been unable to sleep as she constantly
thinks
about
the
incident. She
was unable to work due to her fear that
the
ordeal might
repeat
itself
,
which
caused
her
financial
hardship
.
She
has
been
living
in
fear
as
a
result
of
the
trauma
she
experienced.
[8]
The victim
impact statement of L[…] M[…]1
,
marked as
Exhibit
"
GG2
",
contains
the
following information provided under oath: She stated that due to
flashbacks
and
fear of the accused
,
she was unable
to sleep properly
.
Her fear was
so severe that she relocated to Bushbuckridge. She is no longer
employed and is suffering financially as a result.
[9]
The victim
impact statement of N[…] M[…]2
,
marked as
exhibit
"
GG3
"
contains the
following information provided under oath: she stated in her
affidavit that she feels
scared
for her life.
As a result of the incident, she now
hates
her job and
herself
.
She
experiences
body tremors
and headaches
after the
ordeal
,
and
she is no
longer
working.
[10]
The victim,
L[… M[...]3
,
stated
under
oath on
exhibit
"
GG4
"
that she
struggled to sleep and function effectively for months after the
incident. She has since stopped working and is now selling
clothes
,
atchar
,
and curtains
in
her
hometown
in
the Free State. To cope with the trauma
,
she has
resorted to consuming alcohol.
[11]
The
pre-sentence
report exhibit
"
FF
"
compiled by
Mr.
Mbatha
,
a probation
officer
,
contains a
recommendation that the accused should be sentenced to imprisonment
,
taking into
consideration that he has been convicted of human trafficking
and
robbery
with
aggravating circumstances.
[12]
The background
of these
offenses
of
trafficking in persons is as follows: All five victims were sex
workers
,
a
vulnerable group prone to exploitation and abuse
.
The accused
accessed them through their advertisements on platforms such as
Ads
Africa
,
Red Velvet,
Escort South Africa, and Sex
Traders
,
which were
published
online
.
He contacted
them by phone
,
arranging
meetings under the pretense of purchasing sexual services for the
n
ig
ht
at a hotel. He
booked each victim on different dates
,
collecting
them
in
his Mazda sedan under the guise of transporting them to the hotel.
However
,
instead
of
taking them to the hotel, he transported them to a location of his
choosing
.
Once
at the location, the accused produced a firearm (later discovered to
be a toy pistol) and used it to intimidate the victims,
forcing them
to submit to sexual intercourse. Afterwards
,
he robbed them
at gunpoint
,
taking their
phones and
,
in
some instances
,
extorting
money. One of the victims
,
Mrs
.
M[...]2
,
was extorted
for money. The accused did not pay for the services he had falsely
solicited. After robbing the victims of their belongings
,
he either left
them at the scene or transported them to an unfamiliar location
before driving away. These incidents occurred between
12 June 2019
and 5 July 2019
,
when the
accused was arrested. The Mazda sedan was subsequently discovered to
be a stolen vehicle
.
[13]
Counsel for
the defense argued that there are substantial and
compelling
circumstances
warranting a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences
.
He submitted
that these circumstances including the fact that the accused is a
first-time offender,
has been an
awaiting
trial
prisoner
,
and
was
a
guardian
to
his grandmother
,
who passed
away on 23 October 2024
.
The defense
counsel further
contended
that the
charges against the accused should be treated as one for sentencing
purposes
,
to
avoid an injustice
.
He argued that
substantial and compelling circumstances need not be exceptional and
that the personal
circumstances
of the accused
may also be regarded as substantial and compelling.
Additionally,
he submitted that even
in
cases where
there are no substantial and compelling circumstances
,
the court has
discretion
to
deviate from
the minimum sentence if imposing it would result in an unjust outcome
[14]
The
state
argued
that
the
following
circumstances
should
be
taken
into
consideration
when
sentencing the accused
.
Section 14
of
the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act
,
2013
(Act
No
.
7 of 2013)
which provides 12 factors to be considered in sentencing
as follows
:
-
"
If
a
person
is convicted of
any
offence
under this
Chapter,
the
court
that
imposes
the sentence must consider, but
is
not
limited to the following
aggravating
factors
:
(a)
The
significance
of
the
role of
the
co
nvicted
person
in the trafficking process.
In
this
regard,
the accused
was
the
main
character.
He
is
the one who
picked
the
ladies
up.
He
is the one
who
abused
them
sexually and emotionally.
He
lured
the
complainants.
He
robbed
the complainants
at
gun
point, he
extorts
the
money from the complainant
and
harass
her with messages.
(b)
Previous
convictions relating to the offense
of
trafficking
persons
or
related
crimes.
Accused
i
s
a
first
offender
(c)
Whether
the convicted person
caused
the
victim
to
become
addicted to the use of a
dependence-producing
substance. The accused forced
some
of
the
accused
to smoke
dagga
and or drugs but there is no
evidence
that
they
became addicted to it
.
(d)
The
conditions in
which
the
victim
was
kept
.
Mrs
M[...]3
was
handcuffed
,
tied on
the
neck with the headrest
of
the car. She was again subjected
to
humiliation
when
she was
told to fondle herself
while
a video was
taken
by the
accused.
Forced
to
drink
w
ater
with blood. No proper toilet
was
shown
to
her
.
Some
other
ladies
were
subjected to sex
in
the car instead of
the
hotel
as
promised.
Mrs
Sithole
was
forced
to
smoke
drugs.
(e)
Whether
the
victim
was
held
captive
for
any
period
.
The
evidence
is
clear that complainants
were
held for
some
time against
their
will
and one
Mrs
Sithole
was kept
for
the whole night and
was
found
by
the
police
in
the
morning
inside
accused
'
s
car
the
day that
accused
was
arrested.
(f)
Whether
the
victim
suffered
abuse or
the
extent
thereof
The
complainants
were abused
emotionally
and
physically.
Mrs M[...]3
was
even
made
to
have
sex
with other
man
who
came
in the
house
as
a punishment by
the
accused.
In the
morning
she was
dumped
at the
road
which is surrounded by forest at a place unknown to
her
.
When
the
police found her
she
did not
even
have
shoes
and was on
a
gown only.
(g)
The
physical and
psychological
effect
the
abuse
had
on
the victims.
The
complainants
are
suffering
from insomnia.
Some
have relocated
from
Pretoria to
their
home
town
,
Mrs
M[...]3
went back to
Orange
Fr
ee
State
wh
ich
is her
home
province
and Mrs M[...]1 went
returned
to Bushbuckridge
.
(h)
Whether
the
offense
formed
part of
organized crime. There was no evidence to this effect.
(i)
Whether
the
victim
was
a
child
,
the
complainants
are all
adults
(j)
The
nature of the relationship between the victim and the convicted
person
.
There
is no relationship between the accused and the complainant
;
they
were
,
in
fact
,
strangers
to each other.
(k)
The
state of the victim's mental health.
No
evidence was provided.
(I)
Whether
the
victim
had
any
physical
disability
,
there
is
no one
who
had
physical
disability.
"
[15]
The state
further submitted that the accused should be sentenced in accordance
with the minimum sentences prescribed for the charges
.
The state
contended that a sentence of imprisonment
is appropriate
and that the accused should also be declared unfit to possess a
firearm.
[16]
The court must balance the accused's personal circumstances with the
interests of the victims and society.
Following this
,
the
court must consider whether there are substantial and compelling
circumstances to deviate from the minimum sentences prescribed
for
contraventions of section 4(1) of the Prevention and Combating of
Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013 (trafficking)
,
and
for robbery with aggravating circumstances in terms of
section 51(1)
and (2) of the
Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997
. In S
v
Malgas
[12]
,
it
was held that under these statutes
,
the
court must impose minimum sentences unless "substantial and
compelling circumstances" justify a lesser sentence. This
framework was designed to ensure that serious offenses are met with
appropriately severe punishments while still allowing judicial
discretion when justified by case specifics. Courts are required to
impose sentences with the understanding that the legislature
has
mandated life imprisonment (or the specific prescribed period of
imprisonment) as the standard sentence for listed crimes under
specified conditions. Unless there are genuinely compelling reasons
to deviate
,
these
crimes should elicit a severe, standardized
,
and
consistent response from the courts
.
Personal
Circumstances of the Accused:
[17]
The personal
circumstances of the accused are relevant in assessing whether there
are grounds to depart from the minimum sentence
.
1.
Age and
family background
:
The
accused is 46 years old
,
divorced
,
and has a
10-year-old child who is dependent on him. He had been supporting his
child with R6
,
000
per month prior to his arrest. His ex-wife
,
who now
l
ooks
after the child
,
is unemployed
,
and they are
receiving a child support grant in
his absence
.
2.
Education
and employment:
At
the time of his arrest
,
the accused
was
i
n
his final year of studying towards an LLB degree
,
showing that
he had the potent
i
al
to contribute meaningfully to society
.
He also owned
a chicken farm and employed two people, generating an income of
R20
,
000
per month
.
His
role as a business owner and as a guardian of his grandmother
highlights his
ability to be a productive member of society
.
3.
Community
involvement:
The
accused
was
actively
involved
in
the community
,
serving as a
karate instructor to 300 children in Pretoria
.
He also
represented South Africa internationally in karate
.
This speaks to
h
i
s
character outside of the criminal activities
,
showing that
he was once a law-abiding and contributing member of society
.
4.
Time
spent in custody
:
He has
been in custody for five years awaiting trial
,
which can be
seen as a mitigating factor
.
Courts
sometimes view long pe
ri
ods
of pre-trial detention as part of the punishment.
5.
Grief and
loss:
The
accused lost both his mother and grandmother while awaiting trial
,
which could be
seen as an additional emotional bu
r
den
.
# The
Nature of the Offenses:
The
Nature of the Offenses:
[18]
While
the
accused
'
s
personal
circumstances
are
compelling
,
the
nature
and
seriousness of the offenses weigh heavily against him
:
Human
Traffick
i
ng
:
Human
trafficking is one of the most serious offenses under South Afri
c
an
law
.
It
involves the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable individuals
.
In this case
,
the victims
were sex workers
,
a particularly
vulnerable group susceptible
t
o
coercion and exploitation
.
The accused
lured these women unde
r
false
pretenses
,
sexua
ll
y
assaulted them
,
and robbed
them
.
The
law recognizes human trafficking as an especially heinous crime
because it strips individuals of their autonomy and subjects
them to
physi
c
al
and psychological abuse
.
The victims in
this case were subjected to a range of degrading
and abusive
treatment
,
i
ncluding
being forced to perform sexual acts and being robbed
.
Robbery
with Aggravating Circumstances
:
Robbery
with aggravating circumstances is defined by the C
r
im
i
nal
P
r
ocedure
A
c
t
as robbery that involves the use of a weapon or the infliction o
f
grievous
bodily harm
.
In this case
,
the accused
used a toy
gun
,
but
the v
i
ctims
b
e
lieved
it to be real
,
which induced
fear and trauma
.
The emotional
impact of believing they were facing imminent death or serious harm
is significant.
The
victims were robbed of their possessions
,
including
their phones
,
and some were
e
x
torted
for additional money.
The repeated
nature of the offenses
(
multip
l
e
v
ic
ti
m
s
over a short period) shows a pattern of premeditated and
opportunistic criminal behavior
.
# Victim
Impact:
Victim
Impact:
[19]
Emotional and
psychological harm
:
The vict
i
m
impact statements demonstrate the profound emotional harm ca
u
sed
by th
e
accused
'
s
actions
. T
he
v
ict
im
s
re
ported
insomnia
,
fear
,
flashbacks
,
and relo
c
ation
due to the trauma of the events
.
Some
have lost
their jobs or relocated due to fear of th
e
ac
c
used
,
showing the
long-term damage inflicted on them
.
1.
Physical
abuse:
The
victims were subjected to physical abuse and degrading treatment. For
example
,
one
victim was handcuffed
,
tied
,
and forced to
engage
in
humiliating
acts, while another was forced to take drugs.
2.
Vulnerability
of the victims:
The
victims, as sex workers
,
were
particularly vulnerable to exploitation
.
This
vulnerability was exploited
by
the accused
,
who used their
trust to lure them into dangerous situations
.
South
African
law
places
particular
emphasis on protecting vulnerable groups
,
and this
is
a significant
aggravating factor in the sentencing process.
# Comparison
with the Triad:
Comparison
with the Triad:
[20]
The triad of
sentencing includes the grav
i
ty
of the offense, the
interest
of society
,
and the
personal
circumstances
of the offender.
1.
Seriousness
of the
Offenses:
The
accused was convicted of serious offenses
,
including
human trafficking, robbery with aggravating circumstances
,
extortion
,
possession of
a toy gun
,
and
contravention
of
section 36
for possession of suspected stolen property
,
specifically a
Mazda sedan
,
among other
charges.
These
crimes involved coercion,
physical
abuse
,
and
psychological
trauma
inflicted on vulnerable
sex workers
who were deceived
,
violated
,
and robbed
.
The impact on
the victims was severe
,
as detailed in
their victim
impact
statements
,
which describe
substantial emotional and psychological harm
,
including
insomnia
,
trauma
,
relocation due
to fear, and
inability
to work
.
2.
Interests
of
Society:
In
S
v
Swart
[13]
;
In
our
law
retribution
and deterrence are proper purposes of punishment and they must be
accorded due weight
in
any
sentence that
is
imposed
.
Each
of
the
elements of punishment
is
not
required to be accorded equal weight
,
but
instead
proper
weight
must
be
accorded
to
each
according
to
the
circumstances
.
Serious
crimes
will usually require that retribution and deterrence should come to
the fore
and
that
rehabilitation
of the offender will consequently play a smaller role. Moreover, as
pointed out in S
v
Malgas
2001
(1)
SACR
469 (SCA) where the court finds that it is not bound to impose a
prescribed sentence
'
the
sentence
to
be
imposed
in
lieu of the prescribed sentence should be assessed paying due regard
to the bench mark which the
legislator
provided'.
Society has a strong interest in deterring human trafficking, sexual
exploitation, and violent crime,
particularly
when
vulnerable groups are targeted in this case the sex workers. The
offenses committed by the accused are socially egregious and
violate
fundamental human rights especially section 10 of the Constitution of
the Republic of South Africa Act
,
No.
108 of 1996 which provides that
"Everyone
has
inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and
protected
".
A
strong message must
be
sent
to potential offenders that such actions will not be tolerated
,
which
justifies the imposition
of
minimum
sentences under normal circumstances. Trafficking and violent robbery
undermine public safety.
In
S
v
Kruger
[14]
Shongwe
JA
(Harms
AP
and Plaskett AJA concurring) confirmed that '[p]punishing a convicted
person should not be likened to
revenge
.
It
must have all the elements of and purposes of punishment, prevention
,
retribution,
individual and general deterrence and rehabilitation
'.
[21]
Personal
Circumstances of the Accused: The accused
'
s
circumstances
,
though
compelling
,
are
typica
l
for
sentencing
considerations.
In the
case
of
S
v
Van
Wyk
[15]
and
S
v
Voges
[16]
,
and
S
v
ABT
[17]
it
has been said that:
"
Being
a
first
offender
does
not
mean
that
such
effect
should
override
all
the
other
principles to be considered
during the sentencing
process.
First time
offenders
are
therefore not entitled to non-custodial sentences merely because they
are first
offenders
.
So
the value of being a first
offender
should be
considered
by
the tr
ia
l
Court against
the other
factors under consideration during the sentencing process
."
[22]
His
status
as
a first-offender, his contributions
to
his family and community
,
his
long period of pre-trial detention,
and
the potential for rehabilitation suggest
some
grounds for leniency
.
However
,
his
actions were premeditated
,
calculated
,
and
persistent over a period of time
,
which
may d
i
minish
the weight of these mitigating factors
.
In
S
v
Vilakazi
[18]
Nugent
JA said that in cases of serious crimes as these
,
the
personal circumstances of the offenders by themselves will
necessarily recede into the
background
.
Once
it becomes clear that the crime is deserving of a substantial period
of imprisonment.
The
question whether
the
accused is married
or
single
,
whether
he
has two children or three
,
whether
he is in employment are themselves largely immaterial to what the
period should be and those seems to be the kind of flimsy
reasons
,
or
flimsy grounds that Malgas
'
case
said should be avoided
.
But
they are nonetheless
relevant
in other respect.
A
material consideration is whether the accused can be expected to
offend again.
While
that can never be confidently predicted
,
his
circumstances might assist in making at least some assessment.
Accused
'
s
actions during the commission of these crimes
show
a disregard for the law and the rights
of
others
.
# Analysis
of Substantial and Compelling Circumstances:
Analysis
of Substantial and Compelling Circumstances:
[23]
The
law
requires
the
court
to
consider
whether
there
are
substantial
and
compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum
sentences
.
Here
,
the
accused's
personal
circumstances
and
his
potential
for
rehabilitation
may
suggest
that
a
non-life sentence could be appropriate
.
However,
the premeditated
nature
of his offenses, the prolonged impact on multiple victims
,
and
the fact that these were not
i
solated
incidents weigh heavily against a significant departure from the
prescribed sentences
.
Human
Trafficking (Count 1
,
3
,
7
,
and
11): The accused played a central role in exploiting vulnerable
women
,
inflicting
both physical and emotional harm
.
In
S
v
Qam
a
ta
[19]
;
"An
appropriate
sentence
actually
means
a
sentence
in
accordance
with
the
blameworthiness
of
every
individual
offender
."
[24]
The
aggravating
factors include the calculated method in which he lured the victims
,
used coercion,
and humiliated them. The absence of any evidence suggesting organized
crime may mitigate slightly
,
but the
gravity of the harm inflicted and the vulnerable status of the
victims suggest that no substantial and compelling
circumstances
exist to
justify deviation from the minimum sentence for trafficking.
[25]
Robbery with
Aggravating Circumstances
(Count
4, 5, and 8):
The robberies were accompanied
by the use of
a weapon, creating fear and traumatizing the victims.
Although
the firearm
was later revealed to be a toy pistol
,
the victims
believed it to be real
,
which
significantly
contributed to
their trauma. Again, the seriousness, premeditated
,
and repeated
nature of the offenses
,
along with the
significant
harm inflicted
on
the
victims and the societal
need
for
deterrence, weigh against the accused in all these
charges.
Despite the
accused's personal circumstances, the gravity of these offenses
outweighs any mitigating factors
.
Accordingly
,
I find no
substantial and
compelling
circumstances
to justify a
deviation from the prescribed sentences
.
[26]
Theft
(Count 2)
,
Extortion
(Count
6)
,
and
Other Counts
:
These
lesser
offenses
are
tied
into the larger pattern of criminal behavior. The extortion
,
for
example
,
involved
threatening victims for financial gain
,
compounding
the psychological harm already inflicted. While these counts on their
own might not justify harsh sentences
,
they
form
part
of the larger scheme of exploitation and abuse. In
S
v
Mokela
[20]
the
court noted that an order that
sentences
run
concurrently
is
called
for
where the evidence shows that the relevant offences are 'inextricably
linked in terms of the locality, time
,
protagonists
and
,
importantly,
the
fact
that
they
were
committed
with
one
common
intent'
.
Again
in
S
v
Sekwat,
[21]
,
where
Makgoba J wrote as follows
:
'It
is
a
salutary
practice
that
if
an
accused
is
sentenced
in
respect
of
two
or
more
related offences
,
sentencing
court
should
have
regard
to
the
cumulative
effect
of
the
sentences
imposed
in order to ensure that the total sentence
is
not
disproportionate to the accused
'
s
blameworthiness in relation to the offences
in
respect of
which the accused has to be sentenced
."
# Conclusion:
Conclusion:
[27]
While the
accused
'
s
personal circumstances
,
including his
first-offender status
,
his five
-
year
pre-trial detention, and his potential for rehabilitation
,
are factors
the court has considered
,
they do not,
in my view
,
amount to
substantial and compelling
circumstances
that would justify deviating from the minimum sentences for the
trafficking and robbery counts. The premeditated nature
of the
crimes
,
the
prolonged emotional and psychological trauma suffered by the victims,
and the societal interest in deterring such offenses strongly
suggest
that the minimum sentences should be imposed. Thus, the court finds
that no substantial and compelling circumstances exist
to justify a
departure from the minimum sentences for the trafficking and robbery
counts
.
[28]
Accordingly
,
the following
sentence
is
deemed
appropriate
.
1.
Count 1, 3
,
7
,
and
11(trafficking)
accused
is
sentenced to
life imprisonment
on each.
2.
Count
4
,
5, and 8
:
(robbery with
aggravating circumstances) accused is sentenced to 15 years
'
imprisonment
on each count.
3.
Count
2:
(Theft
as a competent
verdict)
accused
is sentenced
to
3
years
'
imprisonment.
4.
Count 6:
(Extortion)
accused is
sentenced to 5
years
'
imprisonment.
5.
Count
9:
(contravention
of
section
4(1)(e) of
the
Firearms Control
Act) accused
is sentenced to 5
years
'
imprisonment.
6.
Count
10:
(Contravention
of
section
36
of the General
Law Amendment
Act) accused
is sentenced to 6 years
'
imprisonment.
7.
Count 12:
(Contravention
of section
7(a
)
of
Act 32 of 2008) accused is sentenced to 3 years
'
imprisonment.
8.
Count
13
:
(Attempted
contravention
of
section
3)
accused
is
sentenced
to
6 years
'
imprisonment.
In
terms of Section 280(2) Act 51 of 1977 the Court directs that the
sentences imposed in respect of all these counts shall run
concurrently with the sentence of life imprisonment.
[29]
Ancillary
orders
1.
In terms of
Section 103 (1) of firearms control act 60 of 2000 the court makes no
order. This means accused is deemed unfit to possess
a firearm
.
2.
In terms of
section 103 (4) of firearms controls act 60 of 2000
.
The court
makes an order of search and seizure of accused
'
s
premises for firearms
,
ammunitions
licenses and or competency certificate
.
3.
In terms of
section 299A (1) of Act 51 of 1977 the court informs the complainants
that they have a right to make representat
i
ons
to the commissioner of the correctional services when placement of
the prisoner on parole
i
s
considered
,
to
attend any relevant meetings of the parole board
,
when
the
accused
'
s
parole
is
to be decided
.
This is
subject to the directive issued by the comm
i
ssioner
of correctional services under section 4 of the correctional services
Act.
4.
Accused is
having the right to appeal the convictions sentences which were
imposed on him today
.
You can
request the legal aid attorneys
or an attorney
where
you
pay
out
of
your
own
pocket
to
assist
you
in
bring
a
substantive
application
for
leave
to
appeal
the
conviction
and
sentences within
14
days
of
this sentence. If
your application is later than 14 days then you should apply for the
condonation
,
to be allowed
an extension of time to file the application for leave to appeal out
of time.
M Munzhelele J
Judge
of the High Court
,
Pretoria
Heard
On: 23 October 2024
Delivered
On: 25 October 2024
APPEARANCES:
For
the State: Adv A Roos
Instructed
by
:
The
National Director for Public Prosecutions
For
the Accused
:
Adv B Kgagara
Instructed
by
:
Legal
Aid
South
Africa
[1]
7
of 2013
[2]
105
of
1997
[3]
51
of
1
977
[4]
60
of
2000
[5]
62
of
1955
[6]
32
of
2008
[7]
32
of
2007
[8]
2011
(1)
SACR
9 (SCA)
at
[8]
[9]
1998
(1)
SACR
554
(SCA)
558j-559a
[10]
2003
(1)
SACR
200
(SCA)
at
[13]
[11]
2019
(2
)
SACR
334
(WCC)
at
[21]
[12]
2001
(
1)
SACR 469
(SCA)
[13]
2004
(
2
)
SACR
370
(
SCA
)
[14]
2012
(1) SACR 369
(S
CA
)
[15]
1997
(1)
SACR
345
(T) 3669-h
[16]
1975
(3)
SA
88
(AD)
890E
[17]
1975
(2)
SA
214
(A
D
)
219H
[18]
2009
(
1
)
SACR
552 (SCA) at para 5
8
[19]
199
7
(
1
)
SACR
4
7
9
(E)
483a
[20]
2012
(1) SACR
431
(SCA)
at
[11]
[21]
(
unreported
,
GP
case no A445
/
2015
,
14
September
2016
)
at
[13]
sino noindex
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