Criminals caught in home invasions can spend up to 25 years in prison and face a penalty of up to three-quarters of a million dollars.
A Bill has been compiled, which will be presented to the Parliament next month to create the offence of Home Invasions, as part of the Government’s Stand Your Ground law.
Published on the Ministry of Legal Affair’s website, it is called Home Invasion (Self Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025.
The Bill proposes two tiers of penalties for Home Invaders upon conviction, depending on the circumstances of the crime.
The proposed penalty is $500,000.00 and 20 years imprisonment, and where there existed aggravating factors during a home invasion, the convicted offender faces a fine of $750,000.00 and 25 years in prison.
The Bill also outlines the exceptions to the claim of self defence. These exceptions include if a person against whom force is used or threatened has the right to be in, or is an occupant in the dwelling house; where the degree of force used by the occupant is grossly disproportionate.
Another is if the occupant who uses or threatens force is engaged in criminal activity or is using the dwelling house to further criminal activity.
And, if the person against whom force is used or threatened is a member of a law enforcement authority acting in the lawful execution of his duties.
