Maneli v The State

Five armed men, including the appellant, went to a farm with the intention of stealing. They first confronted and subdued the farm owner, Mr Maske, and his gardeners in the office, stealing R1 040 in cash. At about the same time, other members of the group entered the farmhouse, threatened and tied up Mrs Rautenbach and two domestic workers, and stole household items belonging to Maske. The appellant was convicted in the Regional Court on two counts of robbery: one relating to the money taken from Maske in the office, and the other relating to the goods taken from the house. His appeal to the High Court failed, but leave was later granted to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal on the issue of duplication of convictions.

The appeal was upheld. The conviction and sentence on count 2 (robbery relating to the goods taken from the house) were set aside.

The case is significant for its clear restatement and application of South African principles governing duplication of convictions in robbery cases. It confirms that multiple acts of violence and theft committed as part of a single, continuous criminal transaction with one intent should not be artificially divided into separate offences.