S v NCUBE & ORS 2011 (1) ZLR 608 (H)

2011 (1) ZLR p608

Flynote

Criminal procedure – trial – juvenile offenders – need to treat juveniles as special category of offender – need for juvenile offender to be assisted or legally represented at trial – age of child or juvenile offender – need for age to be established as soon as possible after arrest – reasons for establishing age – legislative provisions and international instruments governing treatment of juvenile offenders

Criminal procedure (sentence) – general principles — juvenile offenders – full and meaningful pre-sentence enquiry essential – desirability of obtaining probation officer's reports – other courses open to court where such reports not available – corporal punishment – when should be imposed – should not be imposed as a means of completing proceedings quickly