Five men serving sentences for rape have been granted leave to appeal by the Northern Cape High Court, as the court weighs the merits of their cases against the interests of justice.
After five rape convicts successfully applied for leave to appeal, the high court in Northern Cape Division, Kimberley, Acting Judge Magafe Frans Ramaepadi, said he had to apply “a dispassionate’’ enquiry in considering the applications.
The five convicts - Waybriel Gertse, Graham Gertse, Vernit Priega, Alfonsus Visagie, and Andre Magerman - are currently serving their sentences after they were each found guilty of a count of rape.
Waybriel, Graham, and Magerman were sentenced to life imprisonment; Priega was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment; and Visagie was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
Waybriel, Graham, Priega and Magerman were granted leave to appeal against both conviction and sentence.
