Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No. 51 of 1977)

Chapter 30 : Reviews and Appeals in Cases of Criminal Proceedings in Lower Courts

310A. Appeal by attorney-general against sentence of lower court
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(1)The attorney-general may appeal against a sentence imposed upon an accused in a criminal case in a lower court, to the provincial or local division having jurisdiction, provided that an application for leave to appeal has been granted by a judge in chambers.

 

(2)
(a)A written notice of such an application shall be lodged with the registrar of the provincial or local division concerned by the attorney-general, within a period of 30 days of the passing of sentence or within such extended period as may on application on good cause be allowed.
(b)The notice shall state briefly the grounds for the application.

 

(3)The attorney-general shall, at least 14 days before the day appointed for the hearing of the application, cause to be served by the deputy sheriff upon the accused in person a copy of the notice, together with a written statement of the rights of the accused in terms of subsection (4): Provided that if the deputy sheriff is not able so to serve a copy of the notice, it may be served in any other manner that may on application be allowed.

 

(4)An accused may, within a period of 10 days of the serving of such a notice upon him, lodge a written submission with the registrar concerned, and the registrar shall submit it to the judge who is to hear the application, and shall send a copy thereof to the attorney-general.

 

(5)Subject to the provisions of this section, section 309 shall apply mutatis mutandis with reference to an appeal in terms of this section.

 

(6)Upon an application for leave to appeal referred to in subsection (1) or an appeal in terms of this section, the judge or the court, as the case may be, may order that the State pay the accused concerned the whole or any part of the costs to which the accused may have been put in opposing the application or appeal, taxed according to the scale in civil cases of the provincial or local division concerned.

 

[Section 310A inserted by section 9 of Act No. 107 of 1990]