Fines for offences shoot by more than 100%
The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has announced a new fine schedule for various offences.
The new fine schedule is contained in Statutory Instrument (SI) 25 of 2021 issued by the Ministry on Monday and is with immediate effect.
People who violate lockdown regulations will now pay a spot fine ZWL$5 000, a fee that has been reviewed upwards with immediate effect from ZWL$500 while fine for Level 14, have been double from ZWL$800 000 to ZWL$1.6 million.
Level 14 offences include crimes such as concealing treason and deliberately transmitting HIV. The SI read:
It is hereby notified that the minister has, in terms of section 280 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 made the following notice.
The First Schedule to the Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 is repealed and substituted by the following.
Level 1-ZWL$1 000, level 2- ZWL$2 000, level 3- ZWL$5 000 level 4- ZWL$20 000, level 5- ZWL$30 000, level 6- ZWL$60 000 and level 7- ZWL$120 00.
Levels eight to fourteen shall attract the following fines respectively ZWL$200 000, ZWL$240 000 ZWL$280 000, ZWL$400 000, ZWL$800 000, ZWL$1 200 000 and ZWL$1 600 000.
The criminal law codification and reform Standard scale of fines notice 2020 published Statutory Instrument 272 of 2020 is repealed.
A Gweru lawyer, Esau Mandipa told Chronicle that the new fines were justified as they would act as a deterrent to would-be offenders especially people who wantonly disregard COVID-19 regulations and armed robbers.
–Chronicle
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