Sabrina Dean
Although a child accused of committing a crime is accorded special rights through the Child Justice Act, this does not impact the way in which the judge evaluates the evidence before the court.
This is according to UFS Law Clinic Director Inez Bezuidenhout, who spoke to Courant ahead of tomorrow’s judgment in the highly publicised Griekwastad murder trial. A minor stands accused of murdering Deon, Christel and Marthella Steenkamp on the farm Naauwhoek in Griekwastad in April 2012.
Bezuidenhout says the Act specifies how the court should handle a child’s case, such as protecting his identity, but adds the judge should evaluate the evidence in the same way as for any normal trial:
The minor was fifteen at the time the Steenkamp family was murdered. His is accused of three counts of murder, the rape of Marthella and defeating the ends of justice. Judgment is expected to get underway in the Northern Cape High Court in Kimberley from 8.45 Thursday morning.
Date:
