Judgment reserved in Packham's bid for leave to appeal murder conviction

Convicted wife killer Rob Packham. Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Convicted wife killer Rob Packham. Picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jun 26, 2019

Share

Cape Town – Judge Elize Steyn reserved judgment in wife killer Rob Packham's application for leave to appeal his conviction on Wednesday.

In the Western Cape High Court, Judge Steyn said that she didn't want to rush her decision and would deliver it next week, Netwerk24 reported.

Packham's legal team are arguing that there were errors with the identification parade and that cellphone data had been presented in the case that substantiated both the State and the defence's case regarding Packham's whereabouts.

The State, however, is of the belief that Packham's bid for leave to apppeal should be dismissed and did not have a prospect of success in another court.

The 58-year-old Packham was sentenced to an effective 22 years in jail on June 12 for killing his wife Gill and trying to defeat the ends of justice by setting her car and body alight in February 2018. 

Judge Steyn had deemed the murder callous, brutal and shocking, and highlighted the fact that he had kept silent, never spoke about the incident and instead asked his daughter to take the stand.

Last month convicted killer Jason Rohde’s bid to appeal his conviction for the murder of wife Susan was dismissed by the Western Cape High Court. He is serving an 18-year jail term for the murder. 

He is now resting his hopes on the Supreme Court of Appeal following the high court dismissal.

Cape Times

Related Topics: