The Chamber of Deputies passes a bill that would penalize cattle theft with up to 10 years in prison. Cattle ranchers in provinces such as Duarte, María Trinidad Sánchez and Hato Mayor have reported constant animal theft this bill expects to reduce.
The bill was proposed and motivated by congressman Jorge Hugo Cavoli, representative of the María Trinidad Sánchez province, and a leading cattle rancher himself, who criticized the fact that the country does not have clear laws that penalize the theft of animals, even though cattle raising is an important aspect of the national economy.
According to the approved bill, whoever commits cattle rustling will be punished with two years in prison, but when the crime is aggravated, the penalty will be extended up to 10 years.
The bill has penalties for stealing cattle, and for those who buy or negotiate with any stolen animal, and when the cattle is transported without the owner’s authorization or when he butchers or slaughters cattle without the owner’s consent.
The crimes are aggravated when the theft is committed at night, exercising violence in the theft, when the offender has a work relationship or subordination of any kind or when the person who steals pretends to be a police officer or state official.
The same 10-year prison sentence will be applied against those who do not steal animals, but instead, steal equipment, inputs, implements and machinery used in farms, corrals and agricultural properties.
In addition to imprisonment, the bill mandates that whoever steals cattle must pay the same value of the number of animals stolen, in addition to confiscating the vehicles, implements or any value used to commit the crime.
In order to apply the law throughout the country, the commission that studied the bill repeals Article 388 of the current Penal Code.
Congressman Cavoli, author of the bill, cited that similar laws already exist in many Latin American countries. He added that cattle rustling “has been destroyed” in the country because there are no strong punishments against the offenders.
The bill yet needs to be sent to the Senate for passing.
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Noticias SIN
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
7 September 2023