UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Law
⋄
CPR3701: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Assignment 01 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: CPR3701
Module Name: Criminal Procedure
Student Name: [Insert Student Name]
Student Number: [Insert Student Number]
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: 20 March 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: [Insert Unique Number]
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for CPR3701: Criminal Procedure
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | CPR3701 Criminal Procedure – Assignment 1
Contents
1 Question 1: Hearsay Evidence in Bail Proceedings 3
1.1 1.1 The General Rule and the Law of Evidence Amendment Act . . . . 3
1.2 1.2 The Bail Proceedings Context: A Relaxed Evidentiary Regime . . . 3
1.3 1.3 The Interests of Justice Discretion Under Section 3(1)(c) . . . . . . 4
1.4 1.4 Critical Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Question 2: The Presiding Officer’s Refusal to Remand and the Plea of Not Guilty 6
2.1 2.1 The Right to Legal Representation and Adequate Consultation . . . 6
2.2 2.2 The Presiding Officer’s Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 2.3 Effect of the Irregularity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Question 3: Seizure of A’s Clothing Under Section 20 of the CPA 8
3.1 3.1 Overview of Section 20(a), (b) and (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 3.2 The Most Applicable Provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.3 3.3 Constitutional Dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4 Question 4: The Necessity of Arrest and A’s Argument Regarding Summons 10
4.1 4.1 Legal Framework for Arrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2 4.2 The Post-Constitutional Requirement of Rationality . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.3 4.3 Critical Evaluation of A’s Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5 Question 5: The NDPP’s Decision to Direct A to the Supreme Court of Appeal 12
5.1 5.1 The Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Appeal . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.2 5.2 Proper Jurisdiction for the Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.3 5.3 Critical Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Page 1 of 20
, UNISA | CPR3701 Criminal Procedure – Assignment 1
6 Question 6: C’s Right to Remain Silent and Sergeant V’s Power to Interrogate 14
6.1 6.1 The Right to Silence and its Constitutional Scope . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.2 6.2 The Position of a Non-Arrested Witness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.3 6.3 Assessment of C’s Assertions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7 Question 7: The Right to Legal Representation Before the First Court Appear-
ance 16
7.1 7.1 The Constitutional Guarantee Under Section 35(2) . . . . . . . . . . 16
7.2 7.2 Case Law Confirming Pre-Trial Legal Representation . . . . . . . . . 16
7.3 7.3 Assessment of Sergeant V’s Assertion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Table of Cases 18
Table of Legislation 19
Bibliography 20
Page 2 of 20
College of Law
⋄
CPR3701: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
Assignment 01 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: CPR3701
Module Name: Criminal Procedure
Student Name: [Insert Student Name]
Student Number: [Insert Student Number]
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: 20 March 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: [Insert Unique Number]
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for CPR3701: Criminal Procedure
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | CPR3701 Criminal Procedure – Assignment 1
Contents
1 Question 1: Hearsay Evidence in Bail Proceedings 3
1.1 1.1 The General Rule and the Law of Evidence Amendment Act . . . . 3
1.2 1.2 The Bail Proceedings Context: A Relaxed Evidentiary Regime . . . 3
1.3 1.3 The Interests of Justice Discretion Under Section 3(1)(c) . . . . . . 4
1.4 1.4 Critical Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Question 2: The Presiding Officer’s Refusal to Remand and the Plea of Not Guilty 6
2.1 2.1 The Right to Legal Representation and Adequate Consultation . . . 6
2.2 2.2 The Presiding Officer’s Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 2.3 Effect of the Irregularity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Question 3: Seizure of A’s Clothing Under Section 20 of the CPA 8
3.1 3.1 Overview of Section 20(a), (b) and (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.2 3.2 The Most Applicable Provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.3 3.3 Constitutional Dimension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4 Question 4: The Necessity of Arrest and A’s Argument Regarding Summons 10
4.1 4.1 Legal Framework for Arrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2 4.2 The Post-Constitutional Requirement of Rationality . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.3 4.3 Critical Evaluation of A’s Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5 Question 5: The NDPP’s Decision to Direct A to the Supreme Court of Appeal 12
5.1 5.1 The Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Appeal . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.2 5.2 Proper Jurisdiction for the Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5.3 5.3 Critical Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Page 1 of 20
, UNISA | CPR3701 Criminal Procedure – Assignment 1
6 Question 6: C’s Right to Remain Silent and Sergeant V’s Power to Interrogate 14
6.1 6.1 The Right to Silence and its Constitutional Scope . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.2 6.2 The Position of a Non-Arrested Witness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
6.3 6.3 Assessment of C’s Assertions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7 Question 7: The Right to Legal Representation Before the First Court Appear-
ance 16
7.1 7.1 The Constitutional Guarantee Under Section 35(2) . . . . . . . . . . 16
7.2 7.2 Case Law Confirming Pre-Trial Legal Representation . . . . . . . . . 16
7.3 7.3 Assessment of Sergeant V’s Assertion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Table of Cases 18
Table of Legislation 19
Bibliography 20
Page 2 of 20
