CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT 51 OF 1977
Chapter
2
Search Warrants, Entering of Premises, Seizure, Forfeiture and Disposal of
Property Connected with Offences (ss.19-36)
19
Saving as to certain powers conferred by other laws
The provisions of this Chapter shall not derogate from any power conferred by any other law to enter any premises or to search any person, container or premises or to seize any matter, to declare any matter forfeited or to dispose of any matter.
20 State may seize certain articles
The State may, in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, seize anything (in this Chapter referred to as an article)-
(a) which is concerned in or is on reasonable grounds believed to be concerned in the commission or suspected commission of an offence, whether within the Republic or elsewhere;
(b) which may afford evidence of the commission or suspected commission of an offence, whether within the Republic or elsewhere; or
(c) which is intended to be used or is on reasonable grounds believed to
be intended to be used in the commission of an offence.
21
Article to be seized under search warrant
(1) Subject to the provisions of sections 22, 24 and 25, an article referred to in section 20 shall be seized only by virtue of a search warrant issued-
(a) by a magistrate or justice, if it appears to such magistrate or
justice from information on oath that there are reasonable grounds for believing
that any such article is in the possession or under the control of or upon any
person or upon or at any premises within his area of jurisdiction; or
(b) by a judge or judicial officer presiding at criminal proceedings, if
it appears to such judge or judicial officer that any such article in the
possession or under the control of any person or upon or at any premises is
required in evidence at such proceedings.
(2) A search warrant issued under subsection (1) shall require a police official to seize the article in question and shall to that end authorize such police official to search any person identified in the warrant, or to enter and search any premises identified in the warrant and to search any person found on or at such premises.
(3) (a) A search warrant shall be executed by day, unless the person issuing the warrant in writing authorizes the execution thereof by night.
(b) A search warrant may be issued on any day and shall be of force until it is executed or is cancelled by the person who issued it or, if such person is not available, by a person with like authority.
(4) A police official executing a warrant under this section or section 25 shall, after such execution, upon demand of any person whose rights in respect of any search or article seized under the warrant have been affected, hand to him a copy of the warrant.
22
Circumstances in which article may be seized without search warrant
A police official may without a search warrant search any person or container or premises for the purpose of seizing any article referred to in section 20 -
(a) if the person concerned consents to the search for and the seizure of
the article in question, or if the person who may consent to the search of the
container or premises consents to such search and the seizure of the article in
question; or
(b) if he on reasonable grounds believes-
(i)
that a search warrant will be issued to him under paragraph (a) of
section 21 (1) if he applies for such warrant; and
(ii)
that the delay in obtaining such warrant would defeat the object of the
search.
23 Search of arrested person and seizure of article
(1) On the arrest of any person, the person making the arrest may-
(a) if he is a peace officer, search the person arrested and seize any
article referred to in section 20 which is found in the possession of or in the
custody or under the control of the person arrested, and where such peace
officer is not a police official, he shall forthwith deliver any such article to
a police official; or
(b) if he is not a peace officer, seize any article referred to in
section 20 which is in the possession of or in the custody or under the control
of the person arrested and shall forthwith deliver any such article to a police
official.
(2) On the arrest of any person, the person making the arrest may place in safe custody any object found on the person arrested and which may be used to cause bodily harm to himself or others.
[Sub-s.
(2) added by s. 1 of Act 33 of 1986.]
Any person who is lawfully in charge or occupation of any premises and who reasonably suspects that stolen stock or produce, as defined in any law relating to the theft of stock or produce, is on or in the premises concerned, or that any article has been placed thereon or therein or is in the custody or possession of any person upon or in such premises in contravention of any law relating to intoxicating liquor, dependence-producing drugs, arms and ammunition or explosives, may at any time, if a police official is not readily available, enter such premises for the purpose of searching such premises and any person thereon or therein, and if any such stock, produce or article is found, he shall take possession thereof and forthwith deliver it to a police official.
[S.
24 substituted by s. 12 of Act 59 of 1983.]
25
Power of police to enter premises in connection with State security or
any offence
(1) If it appears to a magistrate or justice from information on oath that there are reasonable grounds for believing-
(a) that the internal security of the Republic or the maintenance of law
and order is likely to be endangered by or in consequence of any meeting which
is being held or is to be held in or upon any premises within his area of
jurisdiction; or
(b) that an offence has been or is being or is likely to be committed or
that preparations or arrangements for the commission of any offence are being or
are likely to be made in or upon any premises within his area of jurisdiction,
(i) of carrying out such investigations and of taking such steps as such
police official may consider necessary for the preservation of the internal
security of the Republic or for the maintenance of law and order or for the
prevention of any offence;
(ii) of searching the premises or any person in or upon the premises for
any article referred to in section 20 which such police official on reasonable
grounds suspects to be in or upon or at the premises or upon such person; and
(iii) of seizing any such article.
(2) A warrant under subsection (1) may be issued on any day and shall be of force until it is executed or is cancelled by the person who issued it or, if such person is not available, by a person with like authority.
(3) A police official may without warrant act under subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (1) if he on reasonable grounds believes-
(a) that a warrant will be issued to him under paragraph (a) or (b) of
subsection (1) if he applies for such warrant; and
(b) that the delay in obtaining such warrant would defeat the object
thereof.
26
Entering of premises for purposes of obtaining evidence
Where a police official in the investigation of an offence or alleged offence reasonably suspects that a person who may furnish information with reference to any such offence is on any premises, such police official may without warrant enter such premises for the purpose of interrogating such person and obtaining a statement from him: Provided that such police official shall not enter any private dwelling without the consent of the occupier thereof.
27
Resistance against entry or search
(1) A police official who may lawfully search any person or any premises or who may enter any premises under section 26, may use such force as may be reasonably necessary to overcome any resistance against such search or against entry of the premises, including the breaking of any door or window of such premises: Provided that such police official shall first audibly demand admission to the premises and notify the purpose for which he seeks to enter such premises.
(2) The proviso to subsection (1) shall not apply where the police official concerned is on reasonable grounds of the opinion that any article which is the subject of the search may be destroyed or disposed of if the provisions of the said proviso are first complied with.
28
Wrongful search an offence, and award of damages
(1) A police official-
(a) who acts contrary to the authority of a search warrant issued under
section 21 or a warrant issued under section 25 (1); or
(b) who, without being authorized thereto under this Chapter-
(i)
searches any person or container or premises or seizes or detains any
article; or
(ii)
performs any act contemplated in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii) of
section 25 (1),
shall
be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R600 or
to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, and shall in addition be
subject to an award under subsection (2).
[Sub-s.
(1) amended by s. 2 of Act 33 of 1986.]
(2) Where any person falsely gives information on oath under section 21 (1) or 25 (1) and a search warrant or, as the case may be, a warrant is issued and executed on such information, and such person is in consequence of such false information convicted of perjury, the court convicting such person may, upon the application of any person who has suffered damage in consequence of the unlawful entry, search or seizure, as the case may be, or upon the application of the prosecutor acting on the instructions of that person, award compensation in respect of such damage, whereupon the provisions of section 300 shall mutatis mutandis apply with reference to such award.
29
Search to be conducted in decent and orderly manner
A search of any person or premises shall be conducted with strict regard to decency and order, and a woman shall be searched by a woman only, and if no female police official is available, the search shall be made by any woman designated for the purpose by a police official.
30
Disposal by police official of article after seizure
A police official who seizes any article referred to in section 20 or to whom any such article is under the provisions of this Chapter delivered-
(a) may, if the article is perishable, with due regard to the interests
of the persons concerned, dispose of the article in such manner as the
circumstances may require; or
(b) may, if the article is stolen property or property suspected to be
stolen, with the consent of the person from whom it was seized, deliver the
article to the person from whom, in the opinion of such police official, such
article was stolen, and shall warn such person to hold such article available
for production at any resultant criminal proceedings, if required to do so; or
(c) shall, if the article is not disposed of or delivered under the
provisions of paragraph (a) or (b), give it a distinctive identification mark
and retain it in police custody or make such other arrangements with regard to
the custody thereof as the circumstances may require.
31
Disposal of article where no criminal proceedings are instituted or where
it is not required for criminal proceedings
(1) (a) If no criminal proceedings are instituted in connection with any article referred to in section 30 (c) or if it appears that such article is not required at the trial for purposes of evidence or for purposes of an order of court, the article shall be returned to the person from whom it was seized, if such person may lawfully possess such article, or, if such person may not lawfully possess such article, to the person who may lawfully possess it.
(b)
If no person may lawfully possess such article or if the police official charged
with the investigation reasonably does not know of any person who may lawfully
possess such article, the article shall be forfeited to the State.
[Para.
(b) substituted by s. 2 of Act 5 of 1991.]
(2) The person who may lawfully possess the article in question shall be notified by registered post at his last-known address that he may take possession of the article and if such person fails to take delivery of the article within thirty days from the date of such notification, the article shall be forfeited to the State.
32
Disposal of article where criminal proceedings are instituted and
admission of guilt fine is paid
(1) If criminal proceedings are instituted in connection with any article referred to in section 30 (c) and the accused admits his guilt in accordance with the provisions of section 57, the article shall be returned to the person from whom it was seized, if such person may lawfully possess such article, or, if such person may not lawfully possess such article, to the person who may lawfully possess such article, or, if such person may not lawfully possess such article, to the person who may lawfully possess it, whereupon the provisions of section 31 (2) shall apply with reference to any such person.
(2)
If no person may lawfully possess such article or if the police official charged
with the investigation reasonably does not know of any person who may lawfully
possess such article, the article shall be forfeited to the State.
[Sub-s.
(2) substituted by s. 3 of Act 5 of 1991.]
33
Article to be transferred to court for purposes of trial
(1)
If criminal proceedings are instituted in connection with any article referred
to in section 30 (c) and such article is required at the trial for the purposes
of evidence or for the purposes of an order of court, the police official
charged with the investigation shall, subject to the provisions of subsection
(2) of this section, deliver such article to the clerk of the court where such
criminal proceedings are instituted.
[Sub-s.
(1) substituted by s. 4 of Act 5 of 1991.]
(2)
If it is by reason of the nature, bulk or value of the article in question
impracticable or undesirable that the article should be delivered to the clerk
of the court in terms of subsection (1), the clerk of the court may require the
police official in charge of the investigation to retain the article in police
custody or in such other custody as may be determined in terms of section 30
(c).
[Sub-s.
(2) substituted by s. 4 of Act 5 of 1991.]
(3)(a) The clerk of the court shall place any article received under subsection (1) in safe custody, which may include the deposit of money in an official banking account if such money is not required at the trial for the purposes of evidence.
(b) Where the trial in question is to be conducted in a court other than a court of which such clerk is the clerk of the court, such clerk of the court shall-
(i) transfer any article received under subsection (1), other than money
deposited in a banking account under paragraph (a) of this subsection, to the
clerk of the court or, as the case may be, the registrar of the court in which
the trial is to be conducted, and such clerk or registrar of the court shall
place such article in safe custody;
(ii) in the case of any article retained in police custody or in some
other custody in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) or in the case
of any money deposited in a banking account under paragraph (a) of this
subsection, advise the clerk or registrar of such other court of the fact of
such custody or such deposit, as the case may be.
34
Disposal of article after commencement of criminal proceedings
(1) The judge or judicial officer presiding at criminal proceedings shall at the conclusion of such proceedings, but subject to the provisions of this Act or any other law under which any matter shall or may be forfeited, make an order that any article referred to in section 33 -
(a) be returned to the person from whom it was seized, if such person may
lawfully possess such article; or
(b) if such person is not entitled to the article or cannot lawfully
possess the article, be returned to any other person entitled thereto, if such
person may lawfully possess the article; or
(c) if no person is entitled to the article or if no person may lawfully
possess the article or, if the person who is entitled thereto cannot be traced
or is unknown, be forfeited to the State.
(2) The court may, for the purpose of any order under subsection (1), hear such additional evidence, whether by affidavit or orally, as it may deem fit.
(3) If the judge or judicial officer concerned does not, at the conclusion of the relevant proceedings, make an order under subsection (1), such judge or judicial officer or, if he is not available, any other judge or judicial officer of the court in question, may at any time after the conclusion of the proceedings make any such order, and for that purpose hear such additional evidence, whether by affidavit or orally, as he may deem fit.
(4) Any order made under subsection (1) or (3) may be suspended pending any appeal or review.
(5) Where the court makes an order under paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1), the provisions of section 31 (2) shall mutatis mutandis apply with reference to the person in favour of whom such order is made.
(6) If the circumstances so require or if the criminal proceedings in question cannot for any reason be disposed of, the judge or judicial officer concerned may make any order referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (1) at any stage of the proceedings.
35
Forfeiture of article to State
(1) A court which convicts an accused of any offence may, without notice to any person, declare-
(a) any weapon, instrument or other article by means whereof the offence
in question was committed or which was used in the commission of such offence;
or
(b) if the conviction is in respect of an offence referred to in Part 1
of Schedule 2, any vehicle, container or other article which was used for the
purpose of or in connection with the commission of the offence in question or
for the conveyance or removal of the stolen property,
and which was seized under the provisions of this Act, forfeited to the State: Provided that such forfeiture shall not affect any right referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of subsection (4) (a) if it is proved that the person who claims such right did not know that such weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other article was being used or would be used for the purpose of or in connection with the commission of the offence in question or, as the case may be, for the conveyance or removal of the stolen property in question, or that he could not prevent such use, and that he may lawfully possess such weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other article, as the case may be.
(2) A court which convicts an accused or which finds an accused not guilty of any offence, shall declare forfeited to the State any article seized under the provisions of this Act which is forged or counterfeit or which cannot lawfully be possessed by any person.
(3) Any weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other article declared forfeited under the provisions of subsection (1), shall be kept for a period of thirty days with effect from the date of declaration of forfeiture or, if an application is within that period received from any person for the determination of any right referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of subsection (4) (a), until a final decision in respect of any such application has been given.
(4) (a) The court in question or, if the judge or judicial officer concerned is not available, any judge or judicial officer of the court in question, may at any time within a period of three years with effect from the date of declaration of forfeiture, upon the application of any person, other than the accused, who claims that any right referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii) of this paragraph is vested in him, inquire into and determine any such right, and if the court finds that the weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other article in question-
(i) is the property of any such person, the court shall set aside the
declaration of forfeiture and direct that the weapon, instrument, vehicle,
container or other article, as the case may be, be returned to such person, or,
if the State has disposed of the weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other
article in question, direct that such person be compensated by the State to the
extent to which the State has been enriched by such disposal;
(ii) was sold to the accused in pursuance of a contract under which he
becomes the owner of such weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other
article, as the case may be, upon the payment of a stipulated price, whether by
instalments or otherwise, and under which the seller becomes entitled to the
return of such weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other article upon
default of payment of the stipulated price or any part thereof-
(aa)
the court shall direct that the weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or
other article in question be sold by public auction and that the said seller be
paid out of the proceeds of the sale an amount equal to the value of his rights
under the contract to the weapon, instrument, vehicle, container or other
article, but not exceeding the proceeds of the sale; or
(bb)
if the State has disposed of the weapon, instrument, vehicle, container
or other article in question, the court shall direct that the said seller be
likewise compensated.
(b) If a determination by the court under paragraph (a) is adverse to the applicant, he may appeal therefrom as if it were a conviction by the court making the determination, and such appeal may be heard either separately or jointly with an appeal against the conviction as a result whereof the declaration of forfeiture was made, or against a sentence imposed as a result of such conviction.
(c) When determining any rights under this subsection, the record of the criminal proceedings in which the declaration of forfeiture was made, shall form part of the relevant proceedings, and the court making the determination may hear such additional evidence, whether by affidavit or orally, as it may deem fit.
36
Disposal of article concerned in an offence committed outside Republic
(1) Where an article is seized in connection with which-
(a) an offence was committed or is on reasonable grounds suspected to
have been committed in a country outside the Republic;
(b) there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will afford
evidence as to the commission in a country outside the Republic of any offence
or that it was used for the purpose of or in connection with such commission of
any offence,
(2) Whenever the article so removed from the Republic is returned to the magistrate, or whenever the magistrate refuses to order that the article be delivered as aforesaid, the article shall be returned to the person from whose possession it was taken, unless the magistrate is authorized or required by law to dispose of it otherwise.