Biological Weapons Act

Banning the development and possession of biological weapons

Official textFrom Attorney General's Chambers, unchanged

s 1

This Act may be cited as the Biological Weapons Act.

s 2

(1)

No person shall develop, produce, stockpile, ac-quire or retain

.•

(a)

any biological agent or toxin of a type and in a quantity that has no justification for prophylac-tic, protective or other peaceful purpose; or

(b)

any weapon, equipment or means of deliv-ery designed to use biological agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in armed conflict.

(2)

In this section -

"biological agent" means any microbial or other agent; and

(3)

Any person contravening this section shall be guilty of an offence: Penalty, imprisonment for life.

Short title

s 3Restriction on development etc. of certain biological agents and toxins and of biological weapons

Proceedings for an offence under section 2 above Prosecution

d b

h f of offences sha not be Institute except y or With t e consent o the

Public Prosecutor.

s 4

Where an offence under section 2 of this Act which is Offences by committed by a body corporate is proved to have been com-

~~~~~~ate mitted with the consent and connivance of, or to be attribut-able to any negligence on the part of, any director, mana-B.L.R.O. 111983

Powers to search and obtain evidence

CAP. 87

Biological Weapons ger, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capac-ity, he as well as the corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

s 5

If a magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under section 2 of this Act has been, or is about to be, committed, he may grant a search warrant authorising the person named therein -

(a)

to enter, at any time within one month from the date of the warrant, any premises or place named therein, if necessary by force, and to search the premises or place of every person found there-in;

(b)

to inspect any document found in the pre-mises or place or in the possession of any person found therein, and to take copies of, or seize or detain any such document;

(c)

to inspect, seize and detain any equipment so found; and

(d)

to inspect, sample, seize and detain any sub-stance so found.