Section 7: Commuting of death sentences

(MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) ACT, 2021. An Act to amend the Penal Code Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2002 to remove the mandatory death penalty prescribed by these laws and to restrict the death penalty to the most serious crimes under those laws; to remove the restriction on mitigation in the case of convictions that carry a death penalty; to define life imprisonment or imprisonment for life; and to provide for related matters. Date of Assent: 4th April, 2019 Date of Commencement: 5th November, 2021 Be it enacted by Parliament as follows: The Penal Code Act is amended- (a) in section 23 by substituting- (i) in subsection (1), for "shall" the words "is liable to"; (ii) in subsection (2), for "shall" the words "is liable to"; (iii) in subsection (3), for "shall", the words "is liable to". (b) by substituting for section 189, the following- "189. Punishment for murder. A person convicted of murder is liable to suffer death." (c) in section 286 (2) by substituting for "sentenced to death" the words "liable to suffer death"; (d) in section 286(4) by deleting the words "unless the offender is sentenced to death,"; (e) in section 319 (2) by substituting for "sentenced to death" the words "liable to suffer death". The Anti-Terrorism Act, 2002 is amended in section 7(1) by substituting in paragraph (a) for "sentenced" the word "liable". The Trial on Indictments Act is amended in section 98 by repealing the words "other than a sentence of death".