Request for arrest and surrender

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.

PART I – GENERAL PROVISIONS PROCEDURE

PROCESS AGAINST THE ACCUSED OR DEFENDANT

23. If the person issued with a summons does not appear at the time and place appointed in and by the summons and his personal attendance has not been dispensed with under section 21 the Court may issue a warrant to arrest him and cause him to be brought before such court.

24. (1) Every warrant of arrest shall be under the hand of the Judge, Magistrate or Justice of the Peace issuing it.

(2) Every such warrant shall state shortly the offence with which the person against whom it is issued is charged and shall name or otherwise describe such person and it shall order the person or persons to whom it is directed to apprehend the person against whom it is issued and bring him before the Court issuing the warrant or before some other court having jurisdiction in the case to answer to the charge therein mentioned and to be further dealt with according to law.

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.