five years after the date upon which the adoption order was made. (2) Where the application is made by a parent of the minor, he shall give due notice of the application to the adopter of the minor. (3) Where the application is made by an adopter, he shall give notice of the application to the Minister and to the parent or parents, or the person who was, prior to the adoption, the legal guardian of the adopted child, if he or they can be found. (4) Where the application is made by the Minister, he shall give notice to the adopter and to the parent or parents, or the person who was, prior to the adoption, the legal guardian of the adopted child, if he or they can be found. (5) The court to which the application is made shall, after having satisfied itself that the applicant has complied with subsection (2), (3) or (4), as the case may be, and after having afforded any person interested in the application an opportunity to be heard, and after having considered any relevant evidence, whether oral or in the form of affidavit, which was tendered in support of or in opposition to the application, rescind or confirm the adoption order: Provided that— (i) the court shall not rescind an adoption order on the application of a parent of the adopted child if it is satisfied that the applicant is unfit to have the custody of the minor and that it is in the interests of the minor that the adoption order be confirmed; (ii) if the application is made on the ground that the minor was suffering from a serious physical defect or that the minor is a mentally disordered or defective person, the court shall not rescind the adoption order unless it is satisfied that the applicant was or, if a husband and wife jointly adopted the minor concerned, they were both at the time of the making of the adoption order ignorant of the physical defect or mental disorder or defect of the minor. (6) On the rescission of an adoption order the adopted child shall for all purposes be restored to the position in which he would have been if no adoption order had been made and the court shall notify the Registrar-General of such rescission: Provided that the rescission shall not affect anything lawfully done while the adoption order was in force. 68 No consideration in connection with adoption permitted If any person or agent of that person who has obtained or applied for an adoption order gives or undertakes to give or, except with the consent of the court which made the order or to which application for the order is made, receives or contracts to receive any consideration in respect of the adoption, or if any parent or legal guardian of a minor receives or contracts to receive or, save with such consent as aforesaid, gives or undertakes to give any consideration in respect of the adoption, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment. [amended by Act 22 of 2001, with effect from the 10th September, 2002.] 69 Concealment of identity of adopted child (1) No person shall at any time publish any information likely to reveal the identity of the parent or adopter of any adopted child normally resident in Zimbabwe or, except with the consent in writing of the adopter or of the adopted child if such adopted child is over the age of eighteen years, the fact that such adopted child has been adopted: Provided that if the Minister is of the opinion that such publication would be just and equitable and in the interests of any particular person he may by written order dispense with the prohibition of this subsection to such an extent as may be specified in the order. (2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment. [amended by Act 22 of 2001, with effect from the 10th September, 2002.] 70 Adopted Children Register

Select target paragraph3

Add to table of contents