“Vigilante justice is not the way the country wants to go. Our criminal law does not recognise provocation other than to reduce murder to manslaughter.
“It does permit persons to defend themselves, their family and their property. However, it does not permit persons to inflict injury when the question of defence no longer arises,” Volney advised.
Volney was speaking after the appointment of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.
He said he disagrees with calls to amend existing laws to give citizens more leeway to defend themselves and urged citizens to “let the police do their job” and allow the law to take its course.
“The law is always being revised and a strong criminal bar association, no doubt, will drive any such move to change the law to cover situations where injustices might result from the law as is,” he said.
Volney’s comments are in conflict with the stand by Minister in the Ministry of National Security Subhas Panday.
Commenting on a cutlass attack by two men on a family in Penal last week and the action by neighbours to intervene, killing one of the fleeing bandits, Panday said the self- defence law should be changed to allow citizens to attack bandits, “with full force”.
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