CHAPTER 11:24

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS ACT

PART III
REQUESTS BY COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOR ASSISTANCE

26. Assistance to country in arranging attendance of person.

(1) This section applies where a request is transmitted seeking that assistance be given by Trinidad and Tobago for the attendance in the Commonwealth country making the request, of a person in Trinidad and Tobago to give or provide evidence or assistance relevant to any criminal proceedings in that country, and the request is accepted.

(2) Where this section applies, the Central Authority shall—

(a) inquire whether or not the person concerned is willing to attend as requested;
(b) inform the central authority for the Commonwealth country making the request as to the outcome of the inquiry; and
(c) if the person is willing to attend as requested, make appropriate arrangements to facilitate that attendance.

CHAPTER 11:24

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS ACT

PART III
REQUESTS BY COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FOR ASSISTANCE

27. Assistance to country in securing transfer of prisoner.

(1) This section applies where a request is transmitted seeking the Central Authority to secure the transfer of a prisoner in Trinidad and Tobago to the Commonwealth country for giving or providing evidence or assistance relevant to any criminal proceedings in that country.

(2) The Central Authority may state, and inform the central authority for the Commonwealth country making the request as to, conditions subject to which a prisoner is to be transferred, including conditions with respect to the custody, release or return of the prisoner.

(3) Any period during which a prisoner is in custody in a Commonwealth country, pursuant to a request, shall be deemed, for all purposes, to be time served in custody in Trinidad and Tobago.

(4) In this section, “prisoner” means a person who is being held in custody pending trial for, or is under imprisonment for, an offence, or is subject to any limitation on his personal liberty pursuant to any written law.

CHAPTER 11:24

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS ACT

PART V
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS

MUTUAL SERVICE OF PROCESS

33A. Service of overseas process in Trinidad and Tobago.

(1) This section shall apply where the Central Authority receives from the central authority of a Commonwealth country or such similar authority of a non-commonwealth country—

(a) a summons or other process requiring a person to appear as a defendant or attend as a witness in criminal proceedings in the Commonwealth or non-commonwealth country ; or
(b) a document issued by a Court exercising criminal jurisdiction in the Commonwealth or non-commonwealth country and recording a decision of the Court made in the exercise of that jurisdiction,
together with a request for that process or document to be served on a person in Trinidad and Tobago.

(2) The Central Authority shall cause the process or document to be served by post or, if the request is for personal service, direct the Commissioner of Police to cause it to be personally served on the person concerned.

(3) Service of a process or document under this section shall not impose any obligation on any person under the law of Trinidad and Tobago to comply with it.

(4) A process or document served under this section shall be accompanied by a notice—

(a) stating the effect of subsection (3);
(b) indicating that the person on whom it is to be served may seek legal advice as to the possible consequence if he fails to comply with the process under the law of the Commonwealth or non-commonwealth country where it was issued; and
(c) indicating that under that law he may not, as a witness, be accorded the same rights and privileges as would be accorded to him in criminal proceedings in Trinidad and Tobago.

(5) Where, under this section, the Commissioner of Police is directed to cause any process or document to be served, he shall use his best endeavours to have it served and immediately transmit to the Central Authority if the process or document is—

(a) served, an affidavit or other certificate of service, stating how and when it was served; or
(b) not served, an affidavit or other certificate of service, stating that fact and the reason.