Chapter 5:02 BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ACT (i) the time within which any thing required or authorized to be done in terms of this Act is to be done. 27 Offences and penalties (1) Any person whose duty it is to give notice of the birth or still-birth of a child or the death of a person and who, without reasonable cause, fails to do so within the appropriate period provided in this Act shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine or such imprisonment. (2) Any person who— (a) wilfully gives any false information for the purposes of the registration of a birth or still-birth of a child or the death of a person; or (b) when giving notice of the birth or still-birth of a child or the death of a person, refuses or neglects to state any of the particulars in the form prescribed; or (c) contravenes any provision of this Act for which no other penalty is provided or contravenes any written direction given in terms of this Act; shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment. (3) Any person who, without lawful excuse— (a) destroys or damages or renders illegible or causes to be destroyed or damaged or rendered illegible any register or certified copy of an entry therein or any part thereof; or (b) falsifies or counterfeits or causes to be falsified or counterfeited any register or certified copy of an entry therein or any part thereof; or (c) inserts or causes to be inserted in any register or certified copy of an entry therein or any part thereof any false entry; or (d) issues, gives or utters any false certificate or certifies any writing to be a copy of or extract from a register or any entry therein, knowing such copy or extract to be false in any material particular; or (e) counterfeits the signature, seal, impression or stamp of the Registrar-General or any registrar; or (f) knowingly permits any act referred to in paragraph (a) to (e) to be committed in relation to any register of which he has the custody or care or in relation to any certified copy of an entry in such register or any part thereof; shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level ten or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or to both such fine and such imprisonment. (4) Without derogation from its powers in any civil proceedings, a court may, at the conclusion of any criminal proceedings, order the Registrar-General to— (a) register any birth, still-birth or death of a person; or (b) delete, remove or correct any false information or entry; or (c) reproduce or replace any destroyed or damaged register or document. 28 Registration of birth or death which occurred before 20.6.1986 (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, notification may be given of the birth, still-birth or death of any person which occurred in Zimbabwe prior to the 20th June, 1986, and which was not registered under any enactment then in force relating to the registration of such births, still-births or deaths. 12