| (1) |
If it appears to the court at any stage of criminal proceedings that the accused is by reason of mental illness or intellectual disability not capable of understanding the proceedings so as to make a proper defence, the court shall direct that the matter be enquired into and be reported on in accordance with the provisions of section 79. |
[Section 77(1) substituted by section 1(a) of Act No. 4 of 2017]
| (1A) |
At proceedings in terms of sections 77(1) and 78(2) the court may, if it is of the opinion that substantial injustice would otherwise result, order that the accused be provided with the services of a legal practitioner in terms of section 22 of the Legal Aid South Africa Act, 2014. |
[Section 77(1A) substituted by section 25(1) of Act No. 39 of 2014]
| (2) |
If the finding contained in the relevant report is the unanimous finding of the persons who under section 79 enquired into the mental condition of the accused and the finding is not disputed by the prosecutor or the accused, the court may determine the matter on such report without hearing further evidence. |
| (3) |
If the said finding is not unanimous or, if unanimous, is disputed by the prosecutor or the accused, the court shall determine the matter after hearing evidence, and the prosecutor and the accused may to that end present evidence to the court, including the evidence of any person who under section 79 enquired into the mental condition of the accused. |
| (4) |
Where the said finding is disputed, the party disputing the finding may subpoena and cross-examine any person who under section 79 has enquired into the mental condition of the accused. |
| (5) |
If the court finds that the accused is capable of understanding the proceedings so as to make a proper defence, the proceedings shall be continued in the ordinary way. |
| (a) |
If the court which has jurisdiction in terms of section 75 to try the case, finds that the accused is not capable of understanding the proceedings so as to make a proper defence, the court may, if it is of the opinion that it is in the interests of the accused, taking into account the nature of the accused’s incapacity contemplated in subsection (1), and unless it can be proved on a balance of probabilities that, on the limited evidence available the accused committed the act in question, order that such information or evidence be placed before the court as it deems fit so as to determine whether the accused has committed the act in question and the court may direct that the accused— |
| (i) |
in the case of a charge of murder or culpable homicide or rape or compelled rape as contemplated in section 3 or 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007, respectively, or a charge involving serious violence or if the court considers it to be necessary in the public interest, where the court finds that the accused has committed the act in question, or any other offence involving serious violence, be— |
| (aa) |
detained in a psychiatric hospital; |
| (bb) |
temporarily detained in a correctional health facility of a prison where a bed is not immediately available in a psychiatric hospital and be transferred where a bed becomes available, if the court is of the opinon that it is necessary to do so on the grounds that the accused poses a serious danger or threat to himself or herself or to members of the public, |
pending the decision of a judge in chambers in terms of section 29(1)(a) of the Mental Health Act, 2002;
| (cc) |
admitted to and detained in a designated health establishment stated in the order as if he or she were an involuntary mental health care user contemplated in section 37 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2002; |
| (dd) |
released subject to such conditions as the court considers appropriate; or |
| (ee) |
referred to a Children’s Court as contemplated in section 64 of the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No. 75 of 2008), and pending such referral be placed in the care of a parent, guardian or other appropriate person or, failing that, placed in temporary safe care as defined in section 1 of the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005); or |
| (ii) |
in the case where the court finds that the accused has committed an offence other than one contemplated in subparagraph (i) or that he or she has not committed any offence be— |
| (aa) |
admitted to and detained in a designated health establishment stated in the order as if he or she were an involuntary mental health care user contemplated in section 37 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2002; |
| (bb) |
released subject to such conditions as the court considers appropriate; |
| (cc) |
released unconditionally; or |
| (dd) |
referred to a Children’s Court as contemplated in section 64 of the Child Justice Act, 2008, and pending such referral be placed in the care of a parent, guardian or other appropriate person or, failing that, placed in temporary safe care as defined in section 1 of the Children’s Act, 2005, |
and if the court so directs after the accused has pleaded to the charge, the accused shall not be entitled under section 106(4) to be acquitted or to be convicted in respect of the charge in question.
| (b) |
If the court makes a finding in terms of paragraph (a) after the accused has been convicted of the offence charged but before sentence is passed, the court shall set the conviction aside, and if the accused has pleaded guilty it shall be deemed that he or she has pleaded not guilty. |
[Section 77(6)(b) substituted by section 1(b) of Act No. 4 of 2017]
| (7) |
Where a direction is issued in terms of subsection (6) or (9), the accused may at any time thereafter, when he or she is capable of understanding the proceedings so as to make a proper defence, be prosecuted and tried for the offence in question. |
[Section (7) substituted by section 3(c) of Act No. 68 of 1998]
| (a) |
An accused against whom a finding is made— |
| (i) |
under subsection (5) and who is convicted; |
| (ii) |
under subsection (6) and against whom the finding is not made in consequence of an allegation by the accused under subsection (1), |
may appeal against such finding.
| (b) |
Such an appeal shall be made in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as an appeal against a conviction by the court for an offence. |
| (9) |
Where an appeal against a finding in terms of subsection (5) is allowed, the court of appeal shall set aside the conviction and sentence and remit the case to the court which made the finding, whereupon that court must deal with the person concerned in accordance with the provisions of subsection (6). |
[Section (9) substituted by section 1(c) of Act No. 4 of 2017]
| (10) |
Where an appeal against a finding under subsection (6) is allowed, the court of appeal shall set aside the direction issued under that subsection and remit the case to the court which made the finding, whereupon the relevant proceedings shall be continued in the ordinary way. |
Statistics Act, 1999
