“New Firearms Act- No Provision for Exceptional Circumstances” – QC

Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagnie is proposing mandatory DNA testing be done as part of the investigation when guns are seized from an accused person, by the police. This is against the background of the new Firearms Act which proposes a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence for persons found with an illegal firearm. He says despite this mandatory sentence the act makes no provision for exceptional circumstances. Champagnie was making submissions to the Joint Select Committee of parliament reviewing the act.

Chair of the meeting, National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang says the minimum mandatory sentence is not to interfere with the court but to send a strong message to criminals. More details in the report below: