Attorney General Anand Ramlogan announced on Sunday that two curfew orders have been amended aimed at curfew breakers trying to conspire to hide arms and ammunition.
He said the amendments were made in consultation with President Max Richards. One amendment carries stiffer fines and penalties.
"We have moved from a mere fine simpliciter of $500 to now $3,000 and a term of imprisonment of six months. That means the magistrate now has a judicial discretion that he can exercise to imprison and fine up to six months and $3,000," Ramlogan said.
"That does not mean if you are caught at five minutes past 9 that (a) the police will necessarily enforce the full brunt of the law," he explained.
"That does not mean that the police and army, in legitimate and appropriate cases, take a practical, sensible and common sense approach, depending on what is the nature of the business that you are about and why you are on the road outside the curfew hours," he added.
The second amendment deals with persons who are helping others to hide arms and ammunition.
"This law makes it very clear that if you are in conspiracy and if you are in consort, then you will feel the full brunt of the law.
"A person who contravenes that section in addition to the normal law, which still applies, about being in possession of a firearm, that person, on summary conviction, would be liable to a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for one year."
The AG repeated his warning to parents and family members that they are liable to face prosecution of they condone the criminal activities of any of their loved ones.
He said the amendments were made in consultation with President Max Richards. One amendment carries stiffer fines and penalties.
"We have moved from a mere fine simpliciter of $500 to now $3,000 and a term of imprisonment of six months. That means the magistrate now has a judicial discretion that he can exercise to imprison and fine up to six months and $3,000," Ramlogan said.
"That does not mean if you are caught at five minutes past 9 that (a) the police will necessarily enforce the full brunt of the law," he explained.
"That does not mean that the police and army, in legitimate and appropriate cases, take a practical, sensible and common sense approach, depending on what is the nature of the business that you are about and why you are on the road outside the curfew hours," he added.
The second amendment deals with persons who are helping others to hide arms and ammunition.
"This law makes it very clear that if you are in conspiracy and if you are in consort, then you will feel the full brunt of the law.
"A person who contravenes that section in addition to the normal law, which still applies, about being in possession of a firearm, that person, on summary conviction, would be liable to a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for one year."
The AG repeated his warning to parents and family members that they are liable to face prosecution of they condone the criminal activities of any of their loved ones.
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