Request for arrest and surrender

Republic of Ghana

Ghana - Criminal Procedure Code 1960 (2003) EN

PART II—PROVISIONS RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

Issue of Warrant of Arrest

Section 71 Warrant when Issued.
Notwithstanding the issue of a summons a warrant may be issued at any time before or after the tim in the summons for the appearance of the accused. No such warrant shall be issued unless a complai has been made upon oath.

Section 72 Summons Disobeyed.
If the accused does not appear at the time and place appointed in and by the summons and attendance has not been dispensed with under section 70, the Court may issue a warrant to appreh cause him to be brought before such Court. No such warrant shall be issued unless a complaint or been made upon oath.

Section 73 Form, Contents, and Duration of Warrant of Arrest.
(1) Every warrant of arrest shall be under the hand of the Judge or Magistrate issuing it.
(2) Every warrant shall state shortly the offence with which the person against whom it is issued is shall name or otherwise describe such person, and it shall order the person or persons to whom it i apprehend the person against whom it is issued and bring him before the Court issuing the warra some other Court having jurisdiction in the case, to answer to the charge therein mentioned and t dealt with according to law.
(3) Every such warrant shall remain in force until it is executed or until it is cancelled by the Court who

Section 74 Court may Direct Security to be Taken.
(1) Any Court issuing a warrant for the arrest of any person in respect of any offence other tha treason, may if it thinks fit by endorsement on the warrant direct that the person named in the warran be released on his entering into a bond in such amount as may be specified, with or without sure appearance before the Court at such time as the endorsement shall state.
(2) The endorsement shall specify—
(a) the number of sureties (if any);
(b) the amount in which they and the person named in the warrant are respectively to be boun
(c) the Court before which the person arrested is to attend; and
(d) the time at which he is to attend, including an undertaking to appear at such subsequent ti be directed by the Court.
(3) When such an endorsement is made, the officer in charge of any police station to which on arres named in the warrant is brought shall release him upon his entering into a bond with or without sureti by that officer, in accordance with the endorsement, conditioned for his appearance before the Cour time and place named in the bond.
(4) Whenever security is taken under this section the officer who takes the bond shall cause it to be f the Court before which the person named in the warrant is bound to appear.

Section 75 warrants to whom Directed.
(1) A warrant of arrest may be directed to one or more police officers, or to one police officer and
police officers of the area within which the Court has jurisdiction, or generally to all police officers of t any Court issuing a warrant may, if its immediate execution is necessary, and no police officer is available, direct it to any other person, and that person shall execute it.
(2) When a warrant is directed to more officers or persons than one, it may be executed by all or by more of them.

Section 76 Execution of Warrant Directed to Police Officer.
A warrant directed to any police officer may so be executed by any other police officer whose name upon the warrant by the officer to whom it is directed or endorsed.

Rome Statute

Article 59 Arrest proceedings in the custodial State

1. A State Party which has received a request for provisional arrest or for arrest and surrender shall immediately take steps to arrest the person in question in accordance with its laws and the provisions of Part 9.

2. A person arrested shall be brought promptly before the competent judicial authority in the custodial State which shall determine, in accordance with the law of that State, that:

(a) The warrant applies to that person;

(b) The person has been arrested in accordance with the proper process; and

(c) The person's rights have been respected.

3. The person arrested shall have the right to apply to the competent authority in the custodial State for interim release pending surrender.

4. In reaching a decision on any such application, the competent authority in the custodial State shall consider whether, given the gravity of the alleged crimes, there are urgent and exceptional circumstances to justify interim release and whether necessary safeguards exist to ensure that the custodial State can fulfil its duty to surrender the person to the Court. It shall not be open to the competent authority of the custodial State to consider whether the warrant of arrest was properly issued in accordance with article 58, paragraph 1 (a) and (b).

5. The Pre-Trial Chamber shall be notified of any request for interim release and shall make recommendations to the competent authority in the custodial State. The competent authority in the custodial State shall give full consideration to such recommendations, including any recommendations on measures to prevent the escape of the person, before rendering its decision.

6. If the person is granted interim release, the Pre-Trial Chamber may request periodic reports on the status of the interim release.

7. Once ordered to be surrendered by the custodial State, the person shall be delivered to the Court as soon as possible.

Article 89 Surrender of persons to the Court

1. The Court may transmit a request for the arrest and surrender of a person, together with the material supporting the request outlined in article 91, to any State on the territory of which that person may be found and shall request the cooperation of that State in the arrest and surrender of such a person. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and the procedure under their national law, comply with requests for arrest and surrender.