Unauthorised removal, destruction or wilful mutilation of public records

(1) Any person who removes any public record from a public office without proper authorization or who destroys any public record other than provided for in this Act or who willfully mutilates any public record in a public office, or in a place of deposit, or in the Belize Archives and Records Service, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment. (2) Any public record which has been removed without proper authorization in the past or may be so removed in the future and which remains within the jurisdiction of the courts of Belize may be reclaimed by the public office in which it was created or by its successor institution. (3) Any person who contravenes any provisions of this Act or any Regulations made thereunder commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment. (4) Any person who contravenes section 16 (4) or (5) of this Act. (5) of this Act commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars or to imprisonment not exceeding one year, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.