A constitutional motion addressing mandatory imprisonment for firearm offences

Simeon Sampson

There was other big news coming out of the Gino Peck sentencing trial today. Much of the fire and fury outside the courtroom, and indeed in past weeks, has been directed at the Firearms Act. The Act was drafted and put into law at a time when crime was spiraling out of control. It is an all-encompassing but unforgiving, inflexible and some say draconian piece of legislation. Today Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson revealed in court and outside that he and some colleagues are looking to draft a first of a kind Constitutional Motion to address mandatory imprisonment for firearm and ammunition offences…and by extension, they will look at other aspects of the Firearm Act as well.

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Simeon Sampson, Attorney

“A few senior counsels have joined me—it is a very interesting point in law. It has to do with these mandatory minimum sentence; you must go to jail for at least three, four five years. And we will be saying to the high court to have a look at it because it appears to be unconstitutional. So later on we shall be filing a constitutional motion to look into that law.”

Reporter

“Is that in line with that gun law reform that the activists are trying to bring?”

Simeon Sampson

“Well we will try to rope in everything that is relevant to relieve this situation that is affecting the minds of the public, justifiable so.”

Reporter

“This is something that is unusual though; you haven’t done something like this before?”

Simeon Sampson

“Not in my experience. This is novel.”