Power of search and seizure
31. (1) Whenever it appears to the Public Prosecutor or an officer of the Commission of the rank of Chief Senior Assistant Commissioner or above as authorized by the Public Prosecutor upon information, and after such inquiry as he thinks necessary, that there is reasonable cause to suspect that in any place there is any evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act, he may by written order direct an officer of the Commission to—
- (a) enter any premises and there search for, seize and take possession of, any book, document, record, account or data, or other article;
- (b) inspect, make copies of, or take extracts from, any book, document, record, account or data;
- (c) search any person who is in or on such premises, and for the purpose of such search detain such person and remove him to such place as may be necessary to facilitate such search, and seize and detain any article found on such person;
- (d) break open, examine, and search any article, container or receptacle; or
- (e) stop, search, and seize any conveyance.
(2) Whenever it is necessary so to do, an officer of the Commission exercising any power under subsection (1) may—
- (a) break open any outer or inner door or window of any premises and enter thereinto, or otherwise forcibly enter the premises and every part thereof;
- (b) remove by force any obstruction to such entry, search, seizure or removal as he is empowered to effect; or
- (c) detain any person found in or on any premises, or in any conveyance, searched under subsection (1), until such premises or conveyance has been searched.
(3) Whenever it appears to an officer of the Commission that there is reasonable cause to suspect that there is concealed or deposited in any place any evidence of the commission of any offence under this Act and such officer has reasonable grounds for believing that, by reason of delay in obtaining a written order
