Section 27: Power to prevent entry of, and to arrest prohibited immigrants.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, any constable or Immigration Officer may prevent any prohibited immigrant from entering Sierra Leone by land, air, inland water or sea and may, without warrant, arrest any person suspected of being a prohibited immigrant. (2) Any person arrested under the provisions of sub-section (1) shall, if not released, be brought without delay before a Magistrate: Provided that where the vessel or aircraft from which such person disembarked is on the point of departure he may, if not released, instead of being brought before a Magistrate be handed over to the custody of the master of the vessel, unless he demands to be taken before a Magistrate. (3) Subject to the provisions of section 33 the Magistrate, if he does not deal with the case forthwith, may either remand such person for a period not exceeding fourteen days or may release him on bail. (4) If the Magistrate finds such person to be a prohibited immigrant, he shall issue a Deportation Order requiring the person in respect of whom it is made to leave and remain out of Sierra Leone. An appeal by either party shall lie from the finding of the Magistrate to the Supreme Court. Such appeal shall be entered within seven days of the date of such finding and, pending the hearing of such appeal, the person who is he subject of the appeal may be either remanded or released on bail by the Magistrate or the Supreme Court. (5) A person found to be a prohibited immigrant may, pending the issue of a Deportation Order and thereafter until be can conveniently be placed on board a vessel about to leave Sierra Leone or be otherwise deported, be detained in such manner as circumstances may require, and shall be deemed to be in legal custody whilst so detained and until the vessel finally leaves Sierra Leone or he is outside the frontiers of Sierra Leone as the case may be.