Cap. 511 Art. 31Offences and penalties.

(1) Any person who -

(a) removes any record from the legal and physical possession and custody of the National Librarian or assists others to do so, or wilfully or through negligence, unskillfulness or non-observance of the regulations causes damage to or destroys, mutilates, alters any record; or

(b) contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of this Act or of any schedules thereto or of any regulations made thereunder;

shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding two thousand and five hundred euro (€2,500) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and imprisonment, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine (multa) not exceeding twenty-five euro (€25) for every day during which the offence continues: Provided that, subject to the above maximum, the minimum fine (multa) to which an offender shall become liable under this article shall not be less than the value of any work that might be lesser penalty as provided shall apply.

(2) The liability of an offender under sub-article (1) shall be without prejudice to the liability of the offender to pay to the National Librarian any cost incurred in the reintegration, or restoration of the library property caused by the offence, or to pay to the National Librarian the value of the property destroyed or damaged when the same cannot be reintegrated or restored. Such payment may be recovered by civil suit by the National Librarian against the offender or his heirs.

(3) Any record which has been or which may be removed without proper authorisation under this Act may be reclaimed by the National Librarian.