Zimbabwe Passes Law Making Parents Liable for Children’s Crimes
By Kwedu News
Harare – Zimbabwe’s government has enacted the Children’s Amendment Act, making parents and guardians criminally liable for offenses committed by their children.
Signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the legislation aims to curb juvenile delinquency by holding adults accountable for their child’s actions.
The law defines a child as anyone under 18, eliminating the previous distinction between children and young persons.
Some of the key provisions of the Act include encouraging or training children to commit offenses, knowingly providing facilities for offenses, failure to prevent offenses when possible and denial of medical treatment without reasonable cause
Parents or guardians found guilty face penalties equivalent to those imposed on the child, including fines and imprisonment. L
They may also be ordered to pay damages for personal injury or patrimonial loss.
Section 13 of the Act stipulates that parents or guardians who fail to prevent their child from committing a crime shall be punished for the offense.
