ConCourt to hear death row, life sentence constitutionality

ConCourt will today hear two matters in which prisoners on death row are challenging the constitutionality of the death penalty and life sentences.

The two cases were initiated by legal think-tank Veritas.

The matter of Ndlovu versus the Minister of Justice (case CCZ 50/15) involves two applicants who were convicted in separate cases of murder and sentenced to death in July 2002 and May 2012 respectively.

The think-tank noted that although the two were lawfully sentenced to death, the sentence now had to be set aside because the provisions of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act under which they were sentenced are now inconsistent with Section 48 of the new Constitution.