Duty to Report Crimes and Sudden or Suspicious Deaths.

Duty to Report Crimes and Sudden or Suspicious Deaths under Section 7

Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure Act [Cap. 20 R.E. 2022], imposes a legal obligation on every person who becomes aware of the commission or intention to commit any offence under the Penal Code, or who learns of a sudden, unnatural, violent, or suspicious death, or the discovery of a dead body under unclear circumstances. Such information must be promptly reported to a police officer or any person in authority within the locality, who is then required to forward it to the officer in charge of the nearest police station. This provision places a duty on all individuals to contribute to the maintenance of public order and the administration of justice by reporting serious occurrences.

Furthermore, subsection (2) offers protection to individuals who report in good faith, providing that no criminal or civil proceedings may be initiated against them for any damages resulting from such reports. This encourages citizens to come forward with information without fear of legal repercussions.

In addition, subsection (3) addresses cases where a person dies while in custody or under institutional care such as in police detention, mental hospitals, leprosariums, homes for the disabled, or prisons. In such cases, the officer in charge is required to immediately report the death to a coroner within whose jurisdiction the body is located. The coroner, or a person authorized by them, is then mandated to examine the body and conduct an inquiry into the cause of death, in accordance with the relevant laws governing such procedures. This requirement ensures accountability and transparency in situations involving custodial or institutional deaths.