Taking of evidence - national proceedings

Republic of Ghana

Ghana - Criminal Procedure Code 1960 (2003) EN

PART II—PROVISIONS RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

Search Warrants

Section 88 When Search Warrant may be Issued and Proceedings Thereunder.
(1) A District Magistrate who is satisfied, by evidence upon oath, that there is reasonable ground for b there is in any building, vessel, carriage, box, receptacle, or place—
(a) anything upon or in respect of which any offence has been or is suspected to have been co which according to any law for the time being in force, the offender may be arrested without wa
(b) anything which there is reasonable ground for believing will afford evidence as to the co any such offence; or
(c) anything which there is reasonable ground for believing is intended to be used for the committing an offence against the person for which, according to any law for the time being offender may be arrested without warrant,
may at any time issue a warrant under his hand authorising any constable to search any such buil carriage, box, receptacle, or place for any such thing, and to seize and carry it before the Magistrate warrant or some other Magistrate to be by him dealt with according to law.
(2) If the thing to be searched for is gunpowder or any other explosive or dangerous or noxious s thing, the person making the search shall have the same powers and protection as are given by an time being in force to any person lawfully authorised to search for any such thing, and the thing it disposed of in the manner as directed by any such law or, in default of such direction, as the Super Police may direct.

Section 89 Time when Search Warrant may be Executed.
Every search warrant may be issued and executed on a Sunday and shall be executed between the h a.m. and 6.30 pm., but the Court may, by the warrant, in its discretion, authorise the police officer or to whom it is addressed to execute it at any hour.

Section 90 Persons in Charge of Closed Place to Allow Ingress.
(1) Whenever any building or other place liable to search is closed, any person residing in or being the building or place shall, on demand of the police officer or other person executing the search w him free entry thereto and afford all reasonable facilities for a search therein.
(2) If entry into the building or other place cannot be so obtained, the police officer or other person e search warrant may proceed in the manner prescribed by sections 4 and 5.
(3) When any person in or about such building or place is reasonably suspected of concealing abou any article for which search should be made, such person may be searched. If such person is a provisions of section 8 (3) shall be observed.

Section 91 Detention of Articles Seized.
(1) When any thing is seized under a search warrant and brought before any Magistrate, he may det it to be detained, taking reasonable care that it is prescribed till the conclusion of the case; and if a made, he may order it further to be detained for the purpose of or pending an appeal. If no appeal i Magistrate shall direct the thing to be restored to the person from whom it was taken, except i hereinafter mentioned, unless he is authorised or required by law to dispose of it otherwise.
(2) If, under any such warrant, there is brought before any Magistrate any forged bank note, bank no instrument, or anything the possession of which, in the absence of lawful excuse, is an offence acco law for the time being in force, the Magistrate may direct it to be detained for production in eviden otherwise dealt with as the case may require.
(3) If, under any such warrant, there is brought before any Magistrate any counterfeit coin or oth possession of which, with knowledge of its nature and without lawful excuse, is an offence accordin for the time being in force, it shall be delivered up to the Superintendent of Police, or to any person a him to receive it, as soon as it has been produced in evidence, or as soon as it appears that it will not to be so produced.

Section 92 Provisions Applicable to Search Warrants.
Sections 73 (1) and (3), 75, 76, 78, 79, 80 and 83 shall, so far as may be, apply to all search war under section 88.

Section 93 Search without a Warrant in Certain Cases where Articles are Being Conveyed, Et Whenever a police officer has reasonable cause to believe that any article which has been stolen
unlawfully obtained, or in respect of which a criminal offence has been, is being, or is about to be c being conveyed, or is concealed or carried on any person in a public place, or is concealed or cont package in a public place, for the purpose of being conveyed, then and in any such case, if the p considers that the special exigencies of the case so require, he may without a warrant or other writt apprehend, seize, and search any such person, package, or article, and may thereupon take posse detain such article together with the package, if any, containing it, and may also arrest any person concealing, or carrying the same as aforesaid.

Section 94 Search of Premises without Warrant.
(1) Any police officer not below the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police, or who being below authorised in writing so to do by some police officer not below such rank, may enter any house, shop, yard, ship, boat, vessel, beach, or other premises which he has reasonable cause to believe c property which has been stolen or dishonestly received and may search for, seize, and secure, a which he has reasonable cause to believe has been stolen, or dishonestly received in the same man had a search warrant and the property seized, if any, corresponded to the property described in warrant.
(2) Authorisations, searches, and seizures, given or made under this section shall not be conf particular property, but may be general.

PART IV—COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL FOR INDICTABLE OFFENCE

Section 200 Taking of Evidence of Witness before Trial.
(1) If on the application of the prosecution or the accused it appears to the District Court con preliminary hearing or trial Court that a particular witness will not be available at the trial, the Court satisfied that it would be in the interest of justice so to do, take the evidence of the witness and ca recorded. Such evidence may be read as evidence in any Court although he is not called as a witness
(2) In such case, the Court may permit the party calling the witness to make a short statement before facts which are necessary to enable the evidence of the witness to be understood and to be related t and may also permit any other witness to be called and examined for the same purpose.
(3) Unless the Court, upon hearing the applicant, decides to refuse the application, the Court sha notice of the application be served on the other party and order him to attend on a named day fo hearing.
(4) In the case of any application under this section the Court may order that the accused shall atte for the hearing of the application and on the taking of the evidence.
(5) The Court shall cause the order to be served on the accused and, if the accused is in custody, o of the prison.
(6) The order shall be a sufficient warrant to the keeper to bring him before the Court and, if the ac bail, shall be obeyed by him notwithstanding the terms of his recognizance.

Rome Statute

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:

(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;