| (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 I of Schedule 1, 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 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. |
| (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. |
Statistics Act, 1999
