Section 16. Mistake of fact

(1) Whoever in committing an act is mistaken about the existence of facts which are part of the statutorily defined constituent elements of a crime does not act intentionally. The possibility of imposing criminal punishment for negligent conduct remains unaffected.
(2) Whoever in committing an act mistakenly assumes the existence of circumstances which would form part of the statutorily defined constitutent elements of a lesser offense can only be punished for intentional conduct in accordance with the statute defining the lesser offense.


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