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On Tuesday, Cabinet approved the introduction of legislation on a number of amendments to the Criminal Code Act - and it should offer some appeasement to prosecutors.
These amendments will see that the definition of aggravated assault is expanded to protect prosecutors, judicial officers, public officers, members of the media, teachers, elected officials and security related personnel by upgrading the use of threatening words or behavior from petty offense to a serious offense. This will allow for the penalty to be increased to up to five years imprisonment.
Today in Belmopan, the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, explained why they made this decision.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"We have seen across the world where there are attacks and threats being made against various public officers and peep personalities in the media. In some countries, journalists are even killed and we have recognized that there is a sort of imbalance in the legislation. Those individuals who are very public individuals and who are oftentimes targeted are not protected under the legislation."
"If an assault happened, this is considered to be a common assault, which the penalty is very low. And so we recognize the importance of protecting these individuals because they have certainly a high presence in society. And it is necessary that they are offered at least the protection of an aggravated assault charge."
The bill is slated to go to the house at its next sitting.
