Women and Girls Protection Act · 1984 Revised Edition
Section 20
Official textFrom Attorney General's Chambers, unchanged
The Commissioner or a Police Officer not below the rank of Inspector generally or specially authorised for that purpose in writing by the Commissioner or any other officer so authorised may enter, and for that purpose use force if necessary, and search any place where the Commis-sioner or any officer so authorised has reasonable cause to believe that there is any woman or girl who is or may be liable to be dealt with under section 11, 14 or 15 or in which he has reasonable cause to believe that an offence under this
Commissioner
"Commissioner" means the Director of Welfare, Youth and Sports and will include such other per-Short title Interpre-tation 3 Selling or hiring for purpose of prostitution False pre-tences etc.
Act has been or is being committed, and any person in any such place and may remove any such woman or girl to a place of safety to be there detained until her case is inquired into:
place
"place" means any building, house, office, flat, room or cubicle or any part thereof, and any open or enclosed space and includes a ship, boat or any vessel, whether afloat or not, and any vehicles;
Provided that no female shall be searched except by a female and with due regard to decency.
{2) The Commissioner or such officer as aforesaid may enter, and for that purpose use force if necessary and search any place for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is therein any woman or girl who is or may be liable to be dealt with under section 11, 14 or 15 or whether any offence under this Act is being committed, and may remove any such woman or girl to a place of safety to be there detained until her case is inquired into.
place of safety
"place of safety" means any place of safety estab-lished under the provisions of section 13 of this Act;
The Commissioner or such officer as aforesaid may during or after any such search as is referred to in subsections (1) and (2) arrest or cause to be arrested any person reasonably believe of being liable to prosecution for an offence under this Act committed in respect of such woman or girl and may seize and detain any articles or any books, documents or accounts which he may have reason to believe relate to such offence.
{4) Any person who refuses the Commissioner or such officer as aforesaid access to any such place, or other-wise obstructs or hinders him in effecting an entrance or in
Power of search
Power of arrest and seizure 17
18
Provision as to service of processes etc ..
Arrest with-out warrant
Presumption arising out of warrants
Security bond
Women and Girls Protection removing any such woman or girl shall be liable to a fine of
$2,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
Any person who obstructs or hinders the Com-missioner or such officer as aforesaid in seizing or detaining such articles, books, documents or accounts shall be liable to a fine of $1,000 and to imprisonment for 3 months.
Terms defined in s 2
Commissioner
Defined · s 2"Commissioner" means the Director of Welfare, Youth and Sports and will include such other per-Short title Interpre-tation 3 Selling or hiring for purpose of prostitution False pre-tences etc.
place
Defined · s 2"place" means any building, house, office, flat, room or cubicle or any part thereof, and any open or enclosed space and includes a ship, boat or any vessel, whether afloat or not, and any vehicles;
place of safety
Defined · s 2"place of safety" means any place of safety estab-lished under the provisions of section 13 of this Act;