ConCourt dismisses Rob Packham's application to appeal 22-year jail term

The Constitutional Court has dismissed Rob Packham's application for leave to appeal his 22-year jail sentence for his wife's murder.

In June 2019, the Western Cape High Court sentenced Packham for the murder of his wife Gill and for defeating the administration of justice. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, making his effective sentence 22 years.

In the same month, Packham filed an application for leave to appeal his conviction, which was subsequently dismissed. He then approached the Supreme Court of Appeal to appeal his conviction, but that was also rejected.

“On November 17 2019, he asked the president of the Supreme Court of Appeal to reconsider the decision of the court but that was also dismissed on March 24," said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

Packham then approached the Constitutional Court, applying for condonation and leave to appeal his conviction. The condonation related to both parties filling their hard-copy papers late due to level 5 regulations put in place for the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday, the ConCourt concluded that the condonation should be granted, but that the application for leave to appeal against conviction be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and because it lacked reasonable prospect of success.

The NPA welcomed the court’s decision.

“I am of the view that the Constitutional Court touched all aspects of the application. There can now be no doubt that he was correctly convicted. I am of course very happy that justice was done,” said prosecutor Susan Galloway.

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