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Defence Act, 2002 (Act No. 42 of 2002)

Chapter 15 : Co-operation with other forces and forces visiting Republic

99. Deserters from visiting forces

 

1) Subject to subsection (2), the Code applies to—
a) any deserter or absentee without leave of a visiting force; and
b) any member of a reserve or auxiliary force of a visiting force who, having failed to obey a notice calling upon that member to appear at any place for service, is by the law of that country liable to the same punishment as a deserter or an absentee without leave.

 

2)
a) No member of a visiting force may be apprehended or dealt with under this section except in compliance with a request from—
i) the applicable government, if such member is alleged to be a deserter; or
ii) the officer in command of that force, if such member is alleged to be an absentee without leave.
b) A member contemplated in paragraph (a) must be handed over to the authorities of that country at such a place in the Republic as may be agreed upon with the particular government or officer, as the case may be.

 

3) For purposes of any proceedings under this section a document purporting to be a certificate under the hand of—
a) the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Minister to the effect that a request has been made under subsection (2) (a) (i), is admissible as evidence of the making of such a request; and
b) the officer in command of the visiting force to the effect that a named and described person was at the date of the certificate an absentee without leave from that force, is admissible as evidence of the facts so certified.