Sierra Leone

The Criminal Procedure Act

PART I – GENERAL PROVISIONS PROCEDURE

ARREST GENERALLY

4. (1) In making an arrest the constable or other person making the same shall actually touch or confine the body of the person to be arrested, unless there be a submission to the custody by word or action.

(2) If such person forcibly resists the endeavour to arrest him, or attempts to evade the arrest, such constable or other person may use sufficient force to effect the arrest but no more.

(3) Nothing in this section gives a right to cause the death of any person except when a constable or private person is legally attempting to arrest the person killed, upon a charge or treason, felony or inflicting a dangerous wound and the arrest of such person cannot otherwise be accomplished.

(4) If a constable is assaulted or obstructed when making any arrest, it shall be the duty of any private person, on whom he may call for aid, to go to his assistance.

5. If any person acting under a warrant of arrest, or any constable having authority to arrest, has reason to believe that the person to be arrested has entered into or is within any place, the person residing in or being in charge of such place, shall on demand of the person so acting or such constable, allow him free entry thereto and afford all reasonable facilities for a search therein.

6. If entry to such a place cannot be effected under section 5 it shall be lawful in any such case as is therein mentioned for such person acting under a warrant of arrest or such person acting under a warrant of arrest or such constable having authority to arrest to enter such place and search therein and, in order to effect entrance into such place, to break open any outer or inner door or window of any house or place, whether that of the person to be arrested or of any other person, if after notification of his authority and purpose, and demand of admittance duly made, he cannot otherwise obtain admittance.

7. Any constable or other person authorised to make an arrest may break out of any house or place in order to liberate himself or any other person who, having lawfully entered for the purpose of making an arrest, is detained therein.

8. The person arrested shall not be subjected to more restraint than is necessary to prevent his escape.

9. (1) The constable or other person making an arrest may take from the person arrested any offensive weapons which he has about his person, or anything found in his possession likely to afford material evidence for the prosecution in respect of the offensive weapons which he has about his person, or anything found in his possession likely to afford material evidence for the prosecution in respect of the offence for which the offender has been arrested. Anything so taken from an arrested person shall be produced before the Court.

(2) The constable or other person who arrests any person on a charge of an offence against the person of another may cause the person arrested by him to be examined by a medical practitioner:
Provided that any person so examined shall have the right to require that such examination shall be made in the presence of his own medical practitioner or of some other person selected by him.

10. Subject to the provisions of section 80, all arrested persons shall be brought as soon as possible before the Court having jurisdiction in the case, or the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction any such person was arrested.

Keywords

Arrest
Surrender
Request for arrest and surrender
Cooperation under procedures of national law
Arrest for ICC proceedings - national procedures
Arrest for national proceedings



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