ss 10–13
OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT
or not completed or issued for use, when he has no
right to retain it or when it is contrary to his duty to
retain it or fails to comply with any
directions issued by lawful authority with regard
to the return or disposal thereof; or
(b) allows any other person to have possession of any
official document issued for his use alone; or
(c) communicates to any person any secret official code
or password issued for his use alone or without lawful
authority or excuse has in his possession any official
document or secret official code or password issued
for the use of some person other than himself; or
(d) on obtaining possession of any official document,
whether by finding or otherwise, neglects or fails to
hand it over to the person or authority by whom or for
whose use it was issued or to a police officer; or
(e) without lawful authority or excuse, the proof whereof
lies on him, manufactures or sells or has in his possession for sale any die, seal or stamp referred to in paragraph (e) of subsection (1);
shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding
level twelve or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding
ten years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
(a)
a person shall, unless he proves the contrary, be
presumed to have been in communication with a foreign agent if—
(i) he has, in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, visited the
address of a foreign agent or associated or consorted with a foreign agent; or
(ii) in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, the name or address
of or any other information regarding a foreign
agent has been found in his possession or under
his control or has been supplied by him to any
other person or has been obtained by him from
any other person;
(b) any place in Zimbabwe or elsewhere reasonably
suspected of being a place used for the receipt of
communications intended for a foreign agent or at
which a foreign agent resides or to which he resorts
for the purpose of giving or receiving communications
or at which he carries on any business shall be
deemed to be the address of a foreign agent and any
person who addresses or delivers communications to
or collects communications from such an address shall
be deemed to have been in communication with a foreign agent.
(2) If, in any prosecution against a person for an offence
in terms of section three, it is proved that he has been in
communication with or attempted to communicate with a
foreign agent in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, it shall, unless the
contrary is proved, be presumed that he has for a purpose
prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe obtained or
attempted to obtain information which is calculated to be or
which might or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful
to an enemy.
6
Obstructing persons on guard at or loitering
near prohibited places
Any person who—
(a) in the vicinity of a prohibited place, obstructs,
knowingly misleads or otherwise interferes with a person engaged on guard, sentry, patrol or other similar
duty in relation to the prohibited place; or
(b) is found loitering within one hundred metres of a
prohibited place and who fails to depart therefrom upon being requested to do so by any person referred to
in paragraph (a);
shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding
level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two
years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
9
Proof of purpose prejudicial to safety or
interests of Zimbabwe
(1) If, in any prosecution under this Act upon a charge of
committing an act for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or
interests of Zimbabwe, it appears from the circumstances of
the case or the conduct or known character of the accused as
proved that his purpose was a purpose prejudicial to the
safety or interests of Zimbabwe, it shall be presumed, unless
the contrary is proved, that the purpose for which that act
has been committed is a purpose prejudicial to the safety or
interests of Zimbabwe.
(2) If, in any prosecution under this Act upon a charge of
making, obtaining, collecting, recording, publishing or
communicating any thing for a purpose prejudicial to the
safety or interests of Zimbabwe, it is proved that it was
made, obtained, collected, recorded, published or communicated by any person other than a person acting under lawful
authority, it shall, unless the contrary is proved, be presumed
that the purpose for which it was made, obtained, collected,
recorded, published or communicated is a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe.
7
Harbouring or concealing certain persons and
failing to report information relating to foreign
agents
Any person who—
(a) knowingly harbours or conceals any person whom he
knows or has reason to believe to be a person who is
about to commit or who has committed an offence in
terms of this Act or knowingly permits any such persons to meet or assemble in any premises in his occupation or under his control; or
(b) having harboured or concealed any such person or
permitted such persons to meet or assemble in any
premises in his occupation or under his control, wilfully omits or refuses to disclose to any police officer any
information it is in his power to give in relation to any
such person; or
(c) being aware that any foreign agent or any person who
has been or is in communication with a foreign agent,
whether in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, is in Zimbabwe,
fails forthwith to report to any police officer the presence of or any information it is in his power to give in
relation to any such foreign agent or person;
shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding
level twelve or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding
ten years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
8
10 Forfeiture
Where a person is convicted of an offence in terms of this
Act a court may, in addition to any fine or term of imprisonment imposed in terms of this Act, order that any equipment
used for the purpose of or in connection with the commission
of the offence shall be forfeited to the State:
Provided that if it is proved that such equipment is not the
property of the person convicted and that its owner was—
(a) unaware that the equipment was being so used; and
(b) unable to prevent its use for the purpose of or in
connection with the commission of the offence;
the court shall not make any such order in respect thereof.
Communication with foreign agent proof of
certain facts
(1) For the purposes of this section—
[Chapter 11:09]
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