(a)investigate the facts and circumstances of the case as soon as practicable; and
Section history
Section 17 — Procedure when arrestable offence is suspected
As in force on 17 June 2024.
Timeline 4 versions
- 2 January 2011 Enacted
- 31 December 2021 Revised edition
- 31 May 2024 Act 5 of 2024
- 17 June 2024 You are here
- 17 August 2026 Latest
(1)If, from information received or otherwise, a police officer has reason to suspect that an arrestable offence has been committed, the police officer must, or if he or she is unable to attend to the case, another police officer acting in his or her place must —
(b)try to find the offender and, if appropriate, arrest the offender and report the case to the Public Prosecutor.
(2)Despite subsection (1) —
(a)if the police officer has reason to believe that the case is not of a serious nature, there is no need to investigate the facts and circumstances of the case; or
(b)if the police officer has reason to believe that there are insufficient grounds for proceeding with the matter, he or she must not do so.
(3)In each of the cases mentioned in subsection (2)(a) and (b), the police officer receiving the information must state in his or her report his or her reason for not fully complying with subsection (1).