Prevention of Crimes Law

1. Citation and application. This Law may be cited as the Prevention of Crimes Law, and may apply to such part of the Delta State as the Governor may from time to time by order direct.

2. Interpretation. In this Law- "crime" means any felony as defined in the Criminal Code; [Cap. 48, F & L 1958, Cap. C21.] "criminal" means a person convicted of a crime; "superior police officer" includes an administrative officer in charge of police and such other person as may be authorised in writing by a superior police officer within the meaning of the Police Act to perform the duties of a superior police officer under this Law.

3. Persons twice convicted may be subject to police supervision. (1) Where any person is convicted of a crime, and a previous conviction of a crime is proved against him, the court before which he is convicted may, in addition to any other punishment which it may award, direct that he is to be subject to the supervision of the police for a period not exceeding five years commencing immediately after the expiration of the sentence passed on him for the last of such crimes. (2) Every person subject to the supervision of the police who is at large in the Delta State shall notify the place of his residence to the nearest superior police officer and, whenever he is about to change his residence, shall notify such intention to the said superior police officer, stating the place to which he is going, and also, if required, and so far as is practicable, his address at that place, and as soon as he arrives at his new place of residence he shall forthwith notify his arrival to the superior police officer stationed nearest to such last mentioned place. (3) Every such person shall once in each month report himself at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by the nearest superior police officer, either to such officer himself or to such other person as that officer may direct. (4) If any person fails to comply with any of the requirements of this section, he shall be guilty of an offence against this Law unless he proves that he did his best to act in conformity with the law and was prevented by circumstances beyond his control, and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of five thousand naira or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.

4. Power to remit requirements of section 3. The Governor may by order under his hand remit any of the requirements of the last preceding section either generally or in the case of any person subject to supervision of the police.

5. Penalty for harbouring thieves, etc. (1) Every person who occupies or keeps a lodging house or any premises licensed under the Liquor (Licensing) Law or any place ,of public entertainment or public resort, and knowingly lodges or knowingly harbours thieves or reputed thieves, or knowingly permits or knowingly suffers them to meet or assemble therein, or knowingly allows the deposit of goods therein having reasonable cause for believing them to be stolen, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of five thousand naira or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years, and the court before which he is convicted may, in addition to or in lieu of such punishment, require him to enter into his own recognisance with or without sureties, for keeping the peace and being of good behaviour during twelve months and may order him to be imprisoned until such recognisances with sureties, if so directed, is entered into, but so that the imprisonment for not entering into a recognisance shall not extend for a term longer than two months. [Cap. L12.] (2) Any licence for the sale of intoxicating liquor, or for keeping any place of public entertainment or public resort, which has been granted to the occupier or keeper of any such house or place referred to in subsection (1) may, in the discretion of the court, be forfeited on his first conviction of an offence under this section, and on his second conviction for such an offence his licence shall be forfeited, and he shall be disqualified for a period of two years from receiving any such licence.

6. Power to make regulations. The Governor may make regulations for all or any of the following purposes- (a) providing for the registration and photographing of criminals and persons detained by the police or in custody awaiting trial, and the manner, form and places in which registers of criminals and such other persons shall be kept; (b) prescribing the duties of officers of police or officers in charge of prisons in connection with the registration and photographing of criminals and persons detained or in custody awaiting trial; (c) providing for the taking by any authorised person of the finger prints of criminals and persons charged with or being suspected of having committed any felony, misdemeanour, or other offence punishable by imprisonment for one month or more and for the taking of the finger prints, for comparison, of any person reasonably suspected of having made a finger impression on any document or object likely to become an exhibit in a criminal case; (d) generally for the purpose of giving effect to the objects and purposes of this Law.