Admission of Guilt Fines

The South African Police Service may give a person, who has been arrested on suspicion of a less serious crime, an option to pay an admission of guilt fine. Such a fine is part of our legal system and it allows a person to admit guilt for a less serious offence without having to appear in court. It prevents an unnecessary overload of the court system. It is meant to resolve less serious matters quickly where an accused person accepts responsibility for having committed a minor offence. Many people have, however, paid the admission of guilt fine so that they can be released from police custody – not knowing what it means and how it will affect them. Unfortunately, there are consequences to paying an admission of guilt fine which may haunt a person for many years to come.  It is advisable first to speak to an attorney before you pay an admission of guilt fine.