Penalty rejected: Steven

ACTING Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Davis Steven says it is difficult to push for the implementation of death penalty in the country.
Steven told The National that the report on death penalty was submitted to National Executive Council (NEC) seven times but it had continued to be rejected.
“I took the report to NEC but after seven attempts or so it got rejected finally because people don’t want death penalty,” he said.
“I thank the NEC and Prime Minister because we could have rejected it and forgotten about it and the gap would have remained.
“There is a Supreme Court matter now human rights track that’s actually in relation to this,” he said.
Steven said there was a reference by the State Solicitor.
“How long do you wait for your death sentence to be implemented,” he asked.
“You think it is easy for me to push these extreme measures, it is very difficult.
“The last thing we want is to be blamed for somebody’s death. People accuse us of passing too many laws and not enforcing them. This one law if we allow it will to go ahead, it will work as a deterrent,” he said.
Steven said the law had been amended under the former government’s leadership.
“If theft of public monies beyond K10 million you get a death penalty.
“I’m going to increase and change in some of these penalty provisions such as the illicit trade and drugs.”
Steven said in the May sitting of Parliament, there would be an introduction of amendments to some of the laws, especially on illicit trade and drugs.
He said one of the objectives of the task force soon to be announced was to align the law and create an organisation that would enforce corporate infringements, consumer rights, health standards, and the issue of the influx of unlawful products into the economy.