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Criminal Code Act 1974

Chapter 262.

Criminal Code Act 1974.

Certified on: / /20 .

Chapter 262.

Criminal Code Act 1974.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.

1. Interpretation.
2. Establishment of the Criminal Code.
3. Civil remedies.
4. Liability to trial.
5. Contempt of court.
6. Saving of powers of courts under other Acts.

Being an Act to establish a code of criminal law.
1. INTERPRETATION.

“the Code” means the Code of Criminal Law contained in Schedule 1;
“the commencement date” means 1 November 1975 (being the date of commencement of the pre-Independence Criminal Code Act 1974).

2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CRIMINAL CODE.

3. CIVIL REMEDIES.

(a) this Act does not affect any right of action that a person would have had against another person if this Act had not been passed; and
(b) no omission from the Code of any penal provision in respect of any act or omission that before the commencement date constituted an actionable wrong affects any right of action in respect of that provision.

4. LIABILITY TO TRIAL.

5. CONTEMPT OF COURT.

6. SAVING OF POWERS OF COURTS UNDER OTHER ACTS.

SCHEDULE 1 – THE CRIMINAL CODE..

PART I. – INTRODUCTORY.

Division 1. – Interpretation.

1. INTERPRETATION.

(1) In this Code, unless the contrary intention appears–

“aircraft” includes any machine or apparatus designed to support itself in the atmosphere, whether or not–

(a) it is incapable of use through mechanical defect; or
(b) any part or parts of it have been removed for any purpose or by any person;

“bodily harm ” means any bodily injury that interferes with health or comfort;
“circumstances of aggravation” includes any circumstances by reason of which an offender is liable to a greater punishment than that to which he would be liable if the offence were committed without the existence of that circumstance;
“clerk” includes–

(a) any person employed for any purpose as or in the capacity of a clerk or servant, or as a collector of money, even if temporarily only, or if–

(i) employed also by other persons than the person alleged to be his employer; or

(ii) employed to pay as well as receive money; and

(b) any person employed as or in the capacity of a commission agent for the collection or disbursement of money, or in any similar capacity, although he has no authority from his employer to receive money or other property on his account; and
(c) any person who acts in the capacity of an officer of a Friendly Society or branch of a Friendly Society;

“company” means an incorporated company;
[1]“Complainant” means a person against whom an offence is alleged to have been committed.
“criminally responsible” means liable to punishment as for an offence;
“dwelling-house” includes any building or structure, or part of a building or structure, that is for the time being kept by the owner or occupier for the residence of himself, his family, or servants, or any of them, whether or not it is from time to time uninhabited;
“explosive substance” includes a gaseous substance in such a state of compression as to be capable of explosion;
“genocide” means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such–

(a) killing members of that group; or
(b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of that group; or
(c) deliberately inflicting on that group conditions of life calculated to bring about its destruction in whole or in part; or
(d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within that group; or
(e) forcibly transferring children of that group to another group;

“gratification” includes–

(a) money, loans, rewards or an interest in property; or
(b) an office or employment; or
(c) a payment of or release from a loan or liability; or
(d) valuable consideration of any kind; or
(e) forbearance to demand money or money’s worth; or
(f) aid, a vote, consent or influence; or
(g) a service, favour or advantage of any description whatsoever; or
(h) an offer or promise of any kind of gratification as described in Paragraphs (a) to (g) inclusive;

“grievous bodily harm” means any bodily injury of such a nature as to endanger or be likely to endanger life, or to cause or be likely to cause permanent injury to health;
“have in possession” includes having under control in any place, whether for the use or benefit of the person of whom the term is used or of another person, whether or not another person has the actual possession or custody of the thing in question;
“indictment” means a written charge preferred against an accused person in order to his trial before some court other than a court of summary jurisdiction;
“knowingly”, when used in connection with an expression denoting uttering, implies a knowledge of the character of the thing uttered or used;
“liable”, used alone, means liable on conviction on indictment;
“mail” includes anything sent by post that is in actual course of transmission from one place to another;
“mail conveyance” includes–

(a) any conveyance of any kind by which a mail is carried; and
(b) any vessel employed by or under the Post PNG Limited or the postal authority of any other country, or the Admiralty, for the conveyance of mails, whether under contract or not; and
(c) a ship of war or other vessel in the service of Her Majesty in respect of letters conveyed by it;

“money” includes bank notes, bank drafts, cheques, and any other orders, warrants, authorities, or requests for the payment of money;
“motor vehicle” includes–

(a) any machine or apparatus designed for propulsion wholly or partly by gas, motor spirit, oil, electricity, steam or other mechanical power; and
(b) a motor cycle; and
(c) a caravan, caravan trailer or other trailer designed to be attached to a motor vehicle,

whether or not the machine or apparatus–

(d) is incapable of use through mechanical defect; or
(e) has had any part or parts of it removed for any purpose or by any person;

“night” means the interval between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.;
“night-time” has the same meaning as “night”;
“owner”, and other like terms, when used with reference to property, include–

(a) a corporation; and
(b) any other association of persons capable of owning property; and
(c) the State;

“person employed in the Public Service” includes officers and men of the Defence Force, members of the Police Force and persons employed to execute any process of a court of justice;
“post office” means any structure, room, place or receptacle established by Post PNG Limited for the provision of postal services (and includes, without limitation, a house, building, room, place, or structure where postal articles are by permission or under the authority of Post PNG Limited received, delivered, sorted or made up from or from which postal articles are despatched);
“property” includes every thing, animate or inanimate, capable of being the subject of ownership;
“public body” means–

(a) the State; or
(b) a province; or
(c) a provincial government; or
(d) a State Service established under or by authority of Section 188 (Establishment of State Services) of the Constitution; or
(e) a constitutional institution, being any office or institution established or provided for by the Constitution including the Head of State, a Minister or the National Executive Council; or
(f) a body or corporation established by statute;

“registered brand” means a brand that is registered under a law relating to brands;
“registered mark” means a mark that is registered under a law relating to brands;
“servant” has the same meaning as “clerk”;
“ship” includes every kind of vessel used in navigation not propelled by oars;
“summary conviction” means conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction;
“telegram” means a thing sent by telegraph, and includes any written message delivered at a telegraph office or post office for transmission by telegraph, or delivered or prepared for delivery from a telegraph office or post office as a message transmitted by telegraph for delivery;
“telegraph” includes a telephone;
“telegraph office” means any structure, room, place or receptacle appointed by authority of the Postmaster-General for the receipt, dispatch or delivery of anything sent by telegraph, or for the transaction of the business of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs relating to telegraphs;
“thing sent by post” includes–

(a) any letter, newspaper, packet, parcel or other thing authorized by law to be transmitted by post, that–

(i) has been posted or received at a post office for delivery or transmission by post; and

(ii) is in course of transmission by post; and

(b) any movable receptacle that–

(i) contains any such thing; and

(ii) is in course of transmission by post;

“uncorroborated testimony”, in relation to an accused person, means testimony that is not corroborated in some material particular by other evidence implicating him;
“utter” means–

(a) use or deal with; or
(b) attempt to use or deal with; or
(c) attempt to induce any person to use, deal with, or act on,

the thing in question;
“valuable security” includes any document that–

(a) is the property of any person; and
(b) is evidence of the ownership of any property or of the right to recover or receive any property;

“vessel” includes a ship or boat, and every other kind of vessel used in navigation.

(2) A flight of an aircraft shall be deemed to commence–

(a) at the time of the closing of the external door of the aircraft last to be closed before the aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking off from any place; or
(b) if Paragraph (a) is not applicable–at the time at which the aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking off from any place,

and shall be deemed to end–

(c) at the time of the opening of the external door of the aircraft first to be opened after the aircraft comes to rest after its next landing after the commencement of the flight; or
(d) if Paragraph (c) is not applicable–at the time at which the aircraft comes to rest after its next landing after the commencement of the flight,

or, if the aircraft is destroyed, or the flight is abandoned, before either Paragraph (c) or (d) becomes applicable, at the time at which the aircraft is destroyed or the flight is abandoned, as the case may be.

(3) A building or structure adjacent to, and occupied with, a dwelling-house shall be deemed to be part of the dwelling-house if there is a communication between the building or structure and the dwelling-house, either immediate or by means of a covered and enclosed passage leading from the one to the other, but not otherwise.

(4) For the purposes of the definition “thing sent by post” in Subsection (1)–

(a) a thing shall be deemed to be in course of transmission by post or telegraph from the time of its being delivered to a post office or telegraph office to the time of its being delivered to the person to whom it is addressed; and
(b) a delivery at the house or office of the person to whom anything sent by post or telegraph is addressed, to him or to some person apparently authorized to receive it according to the usual manner of delivering that person’s letters or telegrams, shall be deemed a delivery to the person addressed.

(5) In this Code, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to the Queen and Head of State includes a reference–

(a) to the successor, by virtue of Section 83 (Queen’s successors) of the Constitution to the Queen and Head of State; and
(b) as appropriate, to a person or persons referred to in Sec. Sch. 1.21 (the Head of State: the Governor-General) of the Constitution.

2. DEFINITION OF OFFENCE.

An act or omission that makes the person doing or making it liable to punishment is called an offence.

3. DIVISION OF OFFENCES.

[2](1) Offences are of three kinds–

(a) crimes; and
(b) misdemeanours; and
(c) simple offences.

(2) Crimes and misdemeanours are indictable offences, for which offenders unless otherwise expressly stated, shall be prosecuted or convicted–

(a) on indictment; or
(b) in accordance with Section 420; or
(c) in accordance with any other law.

(3) An offence not otherwise designated is a simple offence.

(4) Subject to any other law, a person guilty of a simple offence may be summarily convicted before a court of summary jurisdiction.

4. ATTEMPTS TO COMMIT OFFENCES.

(1) When a person, intending to commit an offence–

(a) begins to put his intention into execution by means adapted to its fulfilment; and
(b) manifests his intention by some overt act,

but does not fulfil his intention to such an extent as to commit the offence, he is said to attempt to commit the offence.

(2) It is immaterial, except so far as regards punishment whether–

(a) the offender does all that is necessary on his part for completing the commission of the offence; or
(b) the complete fulfilment of his intention is prevented by circumstances independent of his will; or
(c) he desists of his own motion from the further prosecution of his intention.

(3) It is immaterial that by reason of circumstances not known to the offender it is impossible in fact to commit the offence.

(4) The same facts may constitute one offence and an attempt to commit another offence.

5[3]. [REPEALED.]
6. SEXUAL PENETRATION.

[4]When the expression “sexual penetration” or “sexually penetrates” are used in the definition of an offence, so far as regards that element of it, is complete where there is –

(a) the introduction, to any extent, by a person of his penis into the vagina, anus or mouth of another person; or
(b) the introduction, to any extent, by a person of an object or a part of his or her body (other than the penis) into the vagina or anus of another person, other than in the course of a procedure carried out in good faith for medical or hygienic purposes.

6A. RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST, AUTHORITY OF DEPENDENCY.

[5](1) When the term “relationship of trust, authority or dependency” is used in the definition of an offence, the offence, so far as regards that element of it, is complete upon proof that there was an existing relationship of trust, authority or dependency between the accused and the victim at the time the offence occurred.

(2) A “relationship of trust, authority or dependency” includes, but is not limited to, circumstances where –

(a) the accused is a parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or guardian of the complainant; or
(b) the accused has care or custody of the complainant; or
(c) the accused is the complainant’s grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling (including step sibling) or first cousin; or
(d) the accused is a school teacher and the complainant is his pupil; or
(e) the accused is a religious instructor or the complainant; or
(f) the accused is a counsellor or youth worker acting in his professional capacity; or
(g) the accused is a heath care professional and the complainant is his patient; or
(h) the accused is a police or prison officer and the complainant is in his care or control.

Division 2. – Parties to Offences.

7. PRINCIPAL OFFENDERS.

(1) When an offence is committed, each of the following persons shall be deemed to have taken part in committing the offence and to be guilty of the offence, and may be charged with actually committing it:–

(a) every person who actually does the act or makes the omission that constitutes the offence;
(b) every person who does or omits to do any act for the purpose of enabling or aiding another person to commit the offence;
(c) every person who aids another person in committing the offence;
(d) any person who counsels or procures any other person to commit the offence.

(2) In Subsection (1)(d), the person may be charged with–

(a) committing the offence; or
(b) counselling or procuring its commission.

(3) A conviction of counselling or procuring the commission of an offence entails the same consequences in all respects as a conviction of committing the offence.

(4) Any person who procures another to do or omit to do any act of such a nature that, if he had himself done the act or made the omission, it would have constituted an offence on his part, is–

(a) guilty of an offence of the same kind; and
(b) liable to the same punishment,

as if he had done the act or made the omission, and may be charged with himself doing the act or making the omission.

8. OFFENCES COMMITTED IN PROSECUTION OF COMMON PURPOSE.

Where–

(a) two or more persons form a common intention to prosecute an unlawful purpose in conjunction with one another; and
(b) in the prosecution of such purpose an offence is committed of such a nature that its commission was a probable consequence of the prosecution of the purpose,

each of them shall be deemed to have committed the offence.

9. MODE OF EXECUTION IMMATERIAL.

(1) Where–

(a) a person counsels another to commit an offence; and
(b) an offence is actually committed under that counsel by the person to whom it is given,

it is immaterial whether–

(c) the offence actually committed is the same as that counselled or a different one; or
(d) the offence is committed in the way counselled, or in a different way,

if the facts constituting the offence actually committed are a probable consequence of carrying out the counsel.

(2) The person who gave the counsel shall be deemed to have counselled the other person to commit the offence actually committed by him.

10. ACCESSORIES AFTER THE FACT.

(1) A person who receives or assists another who is, to his knowledge, guilty of an offence, in order to enable him to escape punishment, is an accessory after the fact to the offence.

(2) A married woman does not become an accessory after the fact to an offence of which her husband is guilty–

(a) by receiving or assisting him in order to enable him to escape punishment; or
(b) by receiving or assisting, in her husband’s presence and by his authority, another person who is guilty of an offence in the commission of which her husband has taken part, in order to enable that other person to escape punishment.

(3) A married man does not become an accessory after the fact to an offence of which his wife is guilty by receiving or assisting her in order to enable her to escape punishment.

Division 3. – Application of the Criminal Law.

11. EFFECT OF CHANGES IN LAW.

(1) A person cannot be punished for doing or omitting to do an act unless–

(a) the act or omission constituted an offence under the law in force when it occurred; and
(b) doing or omitting to do the act under the same circumstances would constitute an offence under the law in force at the time when he is charged with the offence.

(2) If the law in force when the act or omission occurred differs from that in force at the time of the conviction, the offender cannot be punished to any greater extent than was authorized by the former law, or to any greater extent than is authorized by the latter law.

12. TERRITORIAL APPLICATION OF THE CODE.

[6](1) This Code applies to every person who is in Papua New Guinea at the time of his doing any act or making any omission which constitutes an offence.

(2) Where offences are of such a nature that they comprise several elements, if–

(a) any acts, omissions or events actually occur which, if they all occurred in Papua New Guinea, would constitute an offence; and
(b) any of the acts, or omissions or events occur in Papua New Guinea,

then–

(c) if the act or omission that, in the case of an offence wholly committed in Papua New Guinea, would be the initial element of the offence, occurs in Papua New Guinea, the person who does that act or makes that omission is guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if all the subsequent elements of the offence had occurred in Papua New Guinea; and
(d) if the act or omission occurs outside Papua New Guinea, and the person who does the act or makes the omission afterwards comes into Papua New Guinea, he is by coming into Papua New Guinea guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if–

(i) the act or omission had occurred in Papua New Guinea; and
(ii) he had been in Papua New Guinea when it occurred.

(3) In a case referred to in Subsection (2)(d), it is a defence to the charge to prove that the accused person did not intend that the act or omission should have effect in Papua New Guinea.

(4) Subject to Subsection (5), this section does not extend to a case in which the only material event that occurs in Papua New Guinea is the death of a person whose death is caused by an act done or omitted to be done outside Papua New Guinea, and at a time when he was not in Papua New Guinea.

(5) The Code shall have extra-territorial effect so as to give effect to the Offences (Overseas) Act 1984.

13. OFFENCES PROCURED OR COUNSELLED BY PERSONS OUTSIDE PAPUA NEW GUINEA.

(1) A person who–

(a) while outside Papua New Guinea procures another person to do or omit to do an act in Papua New Guinea of such a nature that, if he had himself done the act or made the omission, in Papua New Guinea, he would have been guilty of an offence; and
(b) afterwards comes into Papua New Guinea,

is by coming into Papua New Guinea guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if he had himself done the act or made the omission in Papua New Guinea.

(2) A person who–

(a) while outside Papua New Guinea counsels or procures the commission of an offence that is actually committed in Papua New Guinea; and
(b) afterwards comes into Papua New Guinea,

is guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if he had been in Papua New Guinea when the offence was committed.

14. OFFENCES PROCURED IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO BE COMMITTED OUTSIDE PAPUA NEW GUINEA.

(1) A person who, while in Papua New Guinea, procures another person to do an act or make an omission at a place outside Papua New Guinea of such a nature that–

(a) if he had himself done the act or made the omission in Papua New Guinea, he would have been guilty of an offence; and
(b) if he had himself done the act or made the omission, he would have been guilty of an offence under the law in force in the place where the act or omission is done or made,

is guilty of an offence of the same kind, and is liable to the same punishment, as if the act had been done or the omission had been made in Papua New Guinea.

(2) The punishment for an offence by virtue of Subsection (1) shall not exceed the punishment that the offender would have incurred under the law in force in the place where the act was done or the omission was made, if he had himself done the act or made the omission.

(3) A prosecution cannot be instituted under this section except at the request of the Government of the State having jurisdiction in the place where the act or omission occurs.

15. DEFENCE FORCE.

Officers and men of the Defence Force are, while on duty or in uniform, subject to the special laws relating to that Force, but are not exempt from the provisions of this Code.

16. PERSON NOT TO BE PUNISHED TWICE FOR SAME OFFENCE.

(1) Subject to Subsection (2), a person cannot be punished twice under the provisions of this Code or under the provisions of any other law for the same act or omission.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where an act or omission is such that by means of it the offender causes the death of another person, in which case he may be convicted of the offence of which he is guilty by reason of causing the death, notwithstanding that he has already been convicted of some other offence constituted by the act or omission.

17. FORMER CONVICTION OR ACQUITTAL.

It is a defence to a charge of any offence to show that the accused person has already been–

(a) tried and convicted or acquitted, on an indictment on which he might have been convicted of the offence with which he is charged; or
(b) acquitted on indictment, or convicted, of an offence of which he might be convicted on the indictment or complaint on which he is charged.

Division 4. – Punishments.

18. KINDS OF PUNISHMENT.

The punishments that may be inflicted under this Code are–

(a) death; or
(b) imprisonment with hard labour; or
(c) imprisonment without hard labour; or
(d) detention in an institution as defined in–

(i) the Child Welfare Act 1961; or
(ii) the Juvenile Courts Act 1991;

(e) fine; or
(f) finding security to keep the peace and be of good behaviour; or
(g) restriction of movement.

19. CONSTRUCTION OF PROVISIONS OF CODE AS TO PUNISHMENTS.

[7](1) In the construction of this Code, it is to be taken that, except when it is otherwise expressly provided–

(aa)[8] a person liable to death may be sentenced to imprisonment for life or for any shorter term; and
(a) a person liable to imprisonment for life or for any other period, may be sentenced to imprisonment for any shorter term; and
(b) a person liable to imprisonment may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding K2,000.00 in addition to, or instead of, imprisonment; and
(c) a person sentenced on conviction on indictment to pay a fine may be sentenced–

(i) to be imprisoned until the fine is paid, in addition to any other punishment to which he is sentenced; and
(ii) instead of being sentenced to be imprisoned until the fine is paid–to be imprisoned for a term (not exceeding the term provided for in Subparagraph (i)) if the fine is not paid within a specified period (which period may be extended as the court thinks fit); and

(d) a person convicted on indictment of an offence not punishable with death may–

(i) instead of, or in addition to, any punishment to which he is liable–be ordered to enter into his own recognizance, with or without sureties, in such amount as the court thinks proper, to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a time fixed by the court; and
(ii) comply with such other conditions as the court may, in its discretion, impose; and

(e) a person convicted of any offence on summary conviction may, instead of being sentenced to any punishment to which he is liable, be discharged on his entering into his own recognizances, with or without sureties, in such amount as the court thinks proper, to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a term not exceeding one year; and
(f) when a person is convicted of an offence not punishable with death, the court may instead of passing sentence, discharge the offender on his entering into his own recognizance, with or without sureties, in such sum as the court thinks proper, conditioned that–

(i) he shall appear and receive judgement at some future sittings of the court or when called on within a period specified by the court; and
(ii) if the court thinks fit, he shall in the meantime keep the peace and be of good behaviour and comply with such other conditions as the court, in its discretion, imposes.

(2) Imprisonment in accordance with Subsection (1)(c)(i), for non-payment of the fine–

(a) shall not extend for a term longer than two years; and
(b) shall not together with the fixed term of imprisonment (if any) extend for a term longer than the longest term for which he might be sentenced to be imprisoned without fine.

(3) In a case to which Subsection (1)(c) applies, the court may give such directions as it thinks proper as to the enforcement of the sentence of imprisonment, including a direction that the person sentenced appear at some future sittings of the court or when called on, by notice in the prescribed form, to show cause why the sentence of imprisonment should not be executed because of the non-payment of the fine within the specified period or any extension of that period.

(4) If under Subsection (3) a person directed to appear, or called on by notice in the prescribed form, to show cause why the sentence of imprisonment should not be executed because of the non-payment of the fine within the specified period, or any extension of that period, does not appear at the required time and place, a Judge may issue a warrant to arrest him and to bring him before a Judge.

(5) Imprisonment under Subsection (1)(d) for not entering into a recognizance–

(a) shall not extend for a term longer than one year; and
(b) shall not together with the fixed term of imprisonment (if any) extend for a term longer than the longest term for which he might be sentenced to be imprisoned without fine.

(6) When a court sentences any person convicted under Subsection (1)(d) to a term of imprisonment, it may further order that–

(a) the offender be imprisoned for such portion of that term as it thinks proper; and
(b) the execution of the sentence for the remaining portion of the sentence be suspended on his entering into a recognizance, with sureties if so directed, in accordance with Subsection (1)(d) but further conditioned that, if called on, he shall appear and receive judgement in respect of his service of the portion of the sentence.

(7) A Judge may, on being satisfied that the offender has committed a breach of any of the conditions of a recognizance under Subsection (6), forfeit the recognizance and commit him to prison to undergo the suspended portion of his sentence or any part of it.

(8)[9] [Repealed.]

(9) Notwithstanding that restriction of movement is not specified as a punishment for an offence, a court may, in addition to any other punishment or punishments imposed, also impose restriction of movement in accordance with Section 600.

(10)[10] [11]When a court is considering the punishment or punishments to be imposed in any case it shall also consider whether, in the circumstances of the case, restriction of movement is an appropriate punishment.

20. CALCULATION OF TERM OF SENTENCE: CUMULATIVE SENTENCES: ESCAPED PRISONERS.

(1) Where a person who is convicted of an offence is undergoing, or has been sentenced to undergo, for another offence, a sentence involving deprivation of liberty, the punishment to be inflicted on him for the first-mentioned offence may be directed to take effect from the expiration of the deprivation of liberty for the last-mentioned offence.

(2) Subject to Subsection (1), a sentence of imprisonment–

(a) on a conviction on indictment–takes effect from the first day of the sittings of the court at which the offender is convicted; and
(b) on a summary conviction–takes effect from the commencement of the offender’s custody under the sentence.

(3) A person who escapes from lawful custody while undergoing a sentence involving deprivation of liberty is liable on recapture to undergo the punishment that he was undergoing at the time of his escape, for a term equal to the period during which he was absent from prison after the escape and before the expiration of the term of his original sentence whether or not at the time of his recapture the term of that sentence had or has not expired.

21. PREROGATIVE.

Nothing in this Code affects the prerogative of mercy.

21A. VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS.

[12](1) For the purposes of determining the sentence to be imposed on an offender, the court shall consider any statement that may have been prepared in accordance with Subsection (2) of a victim of the offence describing the harm done to, or loss suffered by, the victim arising from the commission of the offence.

(2) A statement referred to in Subsection (1) must be –

(a) prepared in writing in the form and in accordance with the procedures established for that purpose; and
(b) filed with the court.

(3) A statement of the victim of an offence prepared and filed in accordance with Subsection (2) does not prevent the court from considering any other evidence concerning any victim of the offence for the purpose of determining the sentence to be imposed on the offender.

(4) For the purposes of this section, “victim”, in relation to any offence –

(a) means the person to whom harm was done or who suffered physical or emotional loss as a result of the commission of the offence; and
(b) where the person described in Paragraph (a) is dead, ill or otherwise incapable of making a statement referred to in Subsection (1), includes the spouse or any other relative of that person, anyone who has in law or fact the custody of that person or is responsible for the case or support of that person of any dependent of that person.

Division 5. – Criminal Responsibility.

22. APPLICATION OF DIVISION 5.

This Division applies to all persons charged with offences against any law.

23. IGNORANCE OF LAW, BONA FIDE CLAIM OF RIGHT.

(1) Subject to Subsection (2), ignorance of the law does not afford an excuse for an act or omission that would otherwise constitute an offence, unless knowledge of the law by the offender is expressly declared to be an element of the offence.

(2) A person is not criminally responsible, as for an offence relating to property, for an act done or omitted to be done by him with respect to any property in the exercise of an honest claim of right and without intention to defraud.

24. INTENTION: MOTIVE.

(1) Subject to the express provisions of this Code relating to negligent acts and omissions, a person is not criminally responsible for–

(a) an act or omission that occurs independently of the exercise of his will; or
(b) an event that occurs by accident.

(2) Unless the intention to cause a particular result is expressly declared to be an element of the offence constituted, in whole or part, by an act or omission, the result intended to be caused by an act or omission is immaterial.

(3) Unless otherwise expressly declared, the motive by which a person is induced–

(a) to do or omit to do an act; or
(b) to form an intention,

is immaterial so far as regards criminal responsibility.

25. MISTAKE OF FACT.

(1) Subject to Subsection (2), a person who does or omits to do an act under an honest and reasonable, but mistaken, belief in the existence of any state of things is not criminally responsible for the act or omission to any greater extent than if the real state of things had been such as he believed to exist.

(2) The operation of Subsection (1) may be excluded by the express or implied provisions of the law relating to the subject.

26. EXTRAORDINARY EMERGENCIES.

Subject to the express provisions of this Code relating to acts done on compulsion or provocation, or in self-defence, a person is not criminally responsible for an act or omission done or made under such circumstances of sudden or extraordinary emergency that an ordinary person possessing ordinary power of self-control could not reasonably be expected to act otherwise.

27. PRESUMPTION OF SANITY.

Until the contrary is proved every person is presumed to be of sound mind and to have been of sound mind at any time that comes in question.

28. INSANITY.

(1) A person is not criminally responsible for an act or omission if at the time of doing the act or making the omission he is in such a state of mental disease or natural mental infirmity as to deprive him of capacity–

(a) to understand what he is doing; or
(b) to control his actions; or
(c) to know that he ought not to do the act or make the omission.

(2) A person–

(a) whose mind, at the time of his doing or omitting to do an act is affected by delusions on some specific matter or matters; and
(b) who is not otherwise entitled to the benefit of the provisions of Subsection (1),

is criminally responsible for the act or omission to the same extent as if the real state of things had been such as he was induced by the delusions to believe to exist.

29. INTOXICATION.

(1) Section 28 applies to the case of a person whose mind is disordered by intoxication or stupefaction caused, without intention on his part, by drugs or intoxicating liquor or by any other means.

(2) Section 28 does not apply to the case of a person who has intentionally caused himself to become intoxicated or stupefied.

(3) When an intention to cause a specific result is an element of an offence, intoxication, whether complete or partial, and whether intentional or unintentional, may be regarded for the purpose of ascertaining whether such an intention in fact existed.

30. IMMATURE AGE.

(1) A person under the age of seven years is not criminally responsible for any act or omission.

(2) A person under the age of 14 years is not criminally responsible for an act or omission, unless it is proved that at the time of doing the act or making the omission he had capacity to know that he ought not to do the act or make the omission.

(3)[13] [Repealed.]

31. JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

Except as expressly provided by this Code, a judicial officer is not criminally responsible for anything done or omitted to be done by him in the exercise of his judicial functions, even if–

(a) an act done is in excess of his judicial authority; or
(b) he is bound to do an act omitted to be done.

32. JUSTIFICATION AND EXCUSE: COMPULSION.

(1)[14] [15]A person is not criminally responsible for an act or omission done or made–

(a) in execution of the law; or
(b) in obedience to the order of a competent authority that he is bound by law to obey, unless the order is manifestly unlawful; or
(c) when the act is reasonably necessary in order to resist actual and unlawful violence threatened to him, or to another person in his presence; or
(d) when he does or omits to do the act–

(i) in order to save himself from immediate death or grievous bodily harm threatened to be inflicted on him by some person actually present and in a position to execute the threats; and
(ii) believing himself to be unable otherwise to escape the carrying of the threats into execution,

but this protection does not extend to an act or omission that would constitute an offence, punishable with death or the offence of wilful murder or an offence of which grievous bodily harm to the person of another, or an intention to cause such harm, is an element, nor to a person who has by entering into an unlawful association or conspiracy rendered himself liable to have such threats made to him.

(2) Whether an order is or is not manifestly unlawful is a question of law.

33. COMPULSION OF HUSBAND.

[16](1) Subject to Subsection (2), a married woman is not free from criminal responsibility for doing or omitting to do an act merely because the act or omission takes place in the presence of her husband.

(2) A married woman is not criminally responsible for doing or omitting to do an act that–

(a) she is actually compelled by her husband to do or omit to do; and
(b) is done or omitted to be done in his presence,

except in the case of an act or omission that would constitute–

(c) an offence that is punishable with death; or
(d) the offence of wilful murder; or
(e) an offence of which grievous bodily harm to the person of another, or an intention to cause such harm, is an element.

34. CONSPIRACY BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE.

A husband and wife are not criminally responsible for a conspiracy between themselves alone.

35. OFFENCES BY PARTNERS AND MEMBERS OF COMPANIES WITH RESPECT TO PARTNERSHIP OR CORPORATE PROPERTY.

A member of a co-partnership, corporation or joint stock company who does or omits to do any act with respect to the property of the co-partnership, corporation, or company that would, if he were not a member, constitute an offence is criminally responsible to the same extent as if he were not a member.

36. LIABILITY OF HUSBAND AND WIFE FOR OFFENCES TO THE OTHER’S PROPERTY.

(1) In this section, “property”, in relation to a wife, means her separate property.

(2) When a husband and wife are living together, neither of them incurs any criminal responsibility for doing or omitting to do any act with respect to the property of the other, except–

(a) an act or omission of which an intention to injure or defraud some other person is an element; or
(b) an act done by either of them when leaving or deserting, or when about to leave or desert, the other.

(3) Subject to Subsection (2), a husband or wife is criminally responsible for any act done by him or her with respect to the property of the other that would be an offence if they were not husband and wife, to the same extent as if they were not husband and wife.

(4) A husband or wife cannot institute criminal proceedings against the other with respect to the property of the other while they are living together.

(5) On the prosecution–

(a) of a husband on the complaint of his wife for an offence committed with respect to her property; or
(b) of a wife on the complaint of her husband for an offence committed with respect to his property,

the complainant is a competent and compellable witness.

PART II. – OFFENCES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER.

Division 1. – Treason and Other Offences against the Queen’s Person and Authority.

37. TREASON.

A person who–

(a) kills the Queen and Head of State, or does Her any bodily harm tending to Her death, maiming, wounding, imprisonment or restraint; or
(b) kills the eldest son and heir-apparent for the time being of the Sovereign, or, if the successor, by virtue of Section 83 of the Constitution (Queens successors), to the Queen and Head of State is a male, the Queen Consort of the reigning King; or
(c) forms an intention to do an act referred to in Paragraph (a) or (b), and manifests such intention by any overt act; or
(d) conspires with any other person to kill the Queen and Head of State or to do Her any bodily harm tending to Her death, maiming, wounding, imprisonment or restraint; or
(e) levies war against the Queen and Head of State–

(i) with intent to depose the Queen and Head of State from the style, honour, and royal name of the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or of any other of Her Majesty’s dominions; or
(ii) in order, by force or constraint, to compel the Queen and Head of State to change Her measures or counsels, or in order to put any force or constraint on, or to intimidate or overawe, any House of Parliament of any of Her Majesty’s dominions; or

(f) conspires with any other person to levy war against the Queen and Head of State, with any intent or purpose referred to in Paragraph (e); or
(g) instigates a foreigner to make an armed invasion of any part of Her Majesty’s dominions; or
(h) assists by any means whatever a public enemy at war with the Queen and Head of State; or
(i) violates, whether with her consent or not, a Queen Consort, or the wife of the eldest son and heir-apparent for the time being of the successor (being a male) of the Queen and Head of State,

is guilty of the crime of treason.

Penalty: Death.

38. CONCEALMENT OF TREASON.

A person who–

(a) becomes an accessory after the fact to treason; or
(b) knowing that any person intends to commit treason, does not–

(i) give information of it with all reasonable despatch to a magistrate; or
(ii) use other reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the crime,

is guilty of a crime.

Penalty: Subject to Section 19, imprisonment for life.

39. TREASONABLE CRIMES.

(1) Any person who forms an intention–

(a) to depose the Queen and Head of State from the style, honour, and royal name of the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or of any other of Her Majesty’s dominions; or
(b) to levy war against the Queen and Head of State within any part of Her dominions in order, by force or constraint, to compel the Queen and Head of State to change Her measures or counsels, or in order to put any force or constraint on, or to intimidate or overawe, any House of Parliament of any of Her Majesty’s dominions; or
(c) to instigate a foreigner to make an armed invasion of any of Her Majesty’s dominions,

and manifests such intention by any overt act, is guilty of a crime.

Penalty: Subject to Section 19, imprisonment for life.

(2) A person charged with an offence against Subsection (1) is not entitled to be acquitted on the ground that any act proved to have been committed by him constitutes the crime of treason, but a person who has been tried and convicted or acquitted, on a charge of any such crime shall not be afterwards prosecuted for treason in respect of the same facts.

40. CHARGES OF TREASON OR CONCEALMENT OF TREASON.

(1) A person cannot be tried for treason or for an offence against Section 38 or 39 unless the indictment is presented within two years after the crime is committed.

(2) A person charged with treason or with an offence against Section 38 or 39 shall not be convicted, except–

(a) on his own plea of guilty; or
(b) on the evidence in open court of at least two witnesses to one overt act of the kind of treason alleged; or
(c) on the evidence of one witness to one overt act, and one other witness to another overt act of the same kind of treason.

(3) This section does not apply where the overt act of treason alleged is–

(a) the killing of the Queen and Head of State; or
(b) a direct attempt to endanger the life or injure the person of the Queen and Head of State.

41. INCITING TO MUTINY.

(1) A person who advisedly attempts–

(a) to seduce any person serving in the Defence Force by sea, land or air from his duty and allegiance; or
(b) to incite any such person to commit an act of mutiny or any traitorous or mutinous act; or
(c) to incite any such persons to make or endeavour to make a mutinous assembly,

is guilty of a crime.

Penalty: Subject to Section 19, imprisonment for life.

(2) A person who has been tried, and convicted or acquitted, on a charge of an offence against Subsection (1) shall not be afterwards prosecuted for any other offence against this Division in respect of the same facts.

42. ASSISTING ESCAPE OF PRISONERS OF WAR.

A person who–

(a) knowingly and advisedly aids an alien enemy of the Queen and Head of State who is a prisoner of war in Papua New Guinea, whether he–

(i) is confined in a prison or elsewhere; or
(ii) is suffered to be at large on his parole,

to escape from his prison or place of confinement, or, if he is at large on his parole, to escape from Papua New Guinea; or

(b) being a person who owes allegiance to the Queen and Head of State, after any such prisoner has escaped by sea from any part of Her Majesty’s dominions, knowingly and advisedly aids him, on the high seas within the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, in his escape to or towards any place,

is guilty of a crime.

Penalty: Subject to Section 19, imprisonment for life.

43. OVERT ACT.

In the case of an offence against this Division of which the manifestation by an overt act of an intention to effect any purpose is an element–

(a) every act of conspiring with any person to effect that purpose; and
(b) every act done in furtherance of the purpose by any of the persons conspiring,

shall be deemed to be an overt act manifesting the intention.

Division 2. – Sedition.

44. DEFINITION OF SEDITIOUS INTENTIONS.

Subject to Section 45, an intention–