The Legal Notice on Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations 2020 has been published detailing offences and penalties for any individual or business found breaking any of the rules.
The Police Lockdown Report has revealed that since the lockdown started on March 29th until April 27th, more than 83 cases have been opened while more than 134 people have been arrested and have appeared before the courts of law. Some have been granted bail while others have been sentenced countrywide.
The people who have been arrested are aged between 20 and 50 years and the majority are males who have been arrested in connection with drinking liquor outside and near liquor outlets while some in their vehicles.
Some of the suspects have been arrested for carrying out church services while others were operating after business hours.
Most of the people have been fined M500 to M10,000 or sentenced to one month imprisonment and most of them have paid while others have been charged and their cases suspended.
These people were charged for contravening Section 3(1) to (14) and Section 10(2) COVID-19 Public Health Regulation 2020.
Here are some of the offences and penalties published in the latest Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations on 6th May 2020 to take note of:
- A business which contravenes regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding M10,000
- A person who fails to confine himself commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding M5,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 1 month.
- A person who fails to comply with regulations commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding M10,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 2 months or both.
- A person who tests positive but refuses to be quarantined commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding M20,000 or compulsory quarantine.
- No person shall publish or spread fake or false information. Any person who contravenes the regulations commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding M5,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month or both.