Read the full judgment text of CACC 000660/1972 on BabelCite. This Court of Appeal judgment.
1. The appellant, who is 24 years of age, was stopped in the street and searched by a police officer. He was found to be in possession of a Japanese-style knife that he was carrying on his person. When asked to account for it he said that he carried it for the purpose of self-defence in the event of his being attacked. He was taken back to the police station and later charged before the learned magistrate with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He was sentenced to twelve months