Enforcement of fines

Timor-Leste

Código do Processo Penal de Timor-Leste

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE

PART II
ON ORDINARY PROCEDURES

TITLE IV
ON EXECUTION

CHAPTER III
ON THE EXECUTION OF PENALTY OF FINE

Article 335
Voluntary payment

1. A fine may be paid within fifteen days from the date on which the decision imposing it has become final, in an amount determined therein.

2. A request may, within the same deadline, be filed for the payment of the fine to be made in instalments.

3. Sub-article 335.1 does not apply in the event that the payment of a fine in instalments has been authorised.

Article 336
Property execution

1. Property execution shall, at the request of the public prosecutor, apply where the deadline for paying a fine, or some of its instalments, has expired or the convicted person has ceased doing the work he or she is required to carry out in lieu of the fine.

2. Property execution shall be initiated with the motion by the public prosecutor indicating any sufficient and unencumbered assets owned by the convicted person and the latter may, within the same deadline as in which he or she could have voluntarily paid the fine, indicate any assets to be garnished in lieu of those mentioned in the initial motion filed by the public prosecutor.

3. Property execution shall follow the terms of an ordinary execution proceeding, with the necessary adaptations, and shall be dealt with as an attachment to the records in which the conviction was passed.

Article 337
Alternative imprisonment

1. In the event a fine is not paid or where property execution is not feasible, the serving of a prison sentence may be imposed as an alternative.

3. Upon being arrested to serve an alternative prison sentence, the convicted person may avoid the execution of the arrest by paying the fine in its entirety to the official tasked with executing the warrant of arrest. The latter shall issue a receipt acknowledging receipt of the corresponding amount of money and certify the reason why the warrant has not been executed.

Código Penal de Timor-Leste

BOOK I
GENERAL PART

TITLE IV
LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF CRIME

CHAPTER III
PENALTY OF FINE

Article 75. Duration of the penalty of fine

1. The penalty of fine ranges from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 360 days, except where otherwise provided in law.

2. Each day of fine corresponds to an amount ranging from 50 cents to 200 US dollars, which the court shall determine depending on the economic and financial status of the convict and his or her personal expenses.

3. Whenever circumstances surrounding the case so justify, the court may authorize the payment of the fine within the period of 1 year, or allow payment in installments, with the final installment due no later than two years after the date of rendering of the final decision.

Article 76. Imprisonment as alternative to fine

The decision that directly applies the penalty of fine shall determine imprisonment as an alternative to the length of time corresponding to the fine, reduced to two-thirds.

Article 77. Exemption or reduction of the penalty of fine

1. If a convict punished with a penalty of fine fails to carry out the sentence due to circumstances occurring after conviction, that make compliance to the same impossible or difficult and said circumstances are not attributable to the convict, the court may order a reduction or exemption of the penalty.

2. The previous subarticle is applicable to the penalty of fine as a substitute for imprisonment.

Rome Statute

Article 109 Enforcement of fines and forfeiture measures

1. States Parties shall give effect to fines or forfeitures ordered by the Court under Part 7, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties, and in accordance with the procedure of their national law.

2. If a State Party is unable to give effect to an order for forfeiture, it shall take measures to recover the value of the proceeds, property or assets ordered by the Court to be forfeited, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.

3. Property, or the proceeds of the sale of real property or, where appropriate, the sale of other property, which is obtained by a State Party as a result of its enforcement of a judgement of the Court shall be transferred to the Court.