Western Cape courts achieved a high conviction rate in the past year, provincial public prosecutions director Rodney de Kock said on Friday.
Between March 2011 and March this year, district courts had a 93.5 percent conviction rate, while regional courts achieved 73.6
percent.
The Western Cape High Court successfully convicted in 73.6 percent of cases.
Convictions were defined as cases where an accused was found guilty on at least one of various charges.
De Kock was addressing reporters at a National Prosecuting Authority briefing in Cape Town.
The district courts finalised over 96,000 cases in a year, either through verdict or through diversion or mediation systems.
Regional courts, which dealt with more serious crimes, handed down a verdict in 5903 cases. The high court passed judgment in 41 cases.
“We want to increase the successful prosecution of serious reported crimes, specifically murder, serious violence, and rape,” De Kock said.
The target was to increase the number of criminal cases in which a person received a minimum ten year jail term without the option of a fine.
“We also want to improve the prosecution of justice, crime prevention, and security cluster officials charged with corruption. It remains an important focus nationally and within the province,” he said. - Sapa