Section 20, The Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2005

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary containedin any other law, a person who leaves or enters Sierra Leone with more than ten thousand United States dollars in cash or negotiable bearer securities without first having reported the fact to the Authority commits an offence. (2) Where a person– (a) is about to leave Sierra Leone or has arrived in Sierra Leone; or (b) is about to board or leave, or has boarded or left, any ship or aircraft, an authorised officer may, with such assistance as is reasonable and necessary, (i) examine any article which a person has with him; (ii) if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence under subsection (l) may have been or is being committed, search the person, for the purpose of finding out whether the person has with him or on him or in his clothing any cash or negotiable bearer securities in respect of which a report under subsection (l) is required but a person shall not be searched except by a person of the same sex. Mandatory injuction to enforce compliance. Interference with investigation. Further measures to avoid money laundering. Currency reporting at border. No. 6 Anti-Money Laundering Act 2005No. 6 Anti-Money Laundering Act 2005 1716 (3) An authorised officer, and any person assisting such officer, may board any ship or aircraft for the purposes of exercising the powers conferred by subsection (2). (4 ) Where an authorised officer has reasonable grounds to believe that cash or negotiable bearer securities found in the course of an examination or search conducted under subsection (2) may afford evidence as to the commission of an offence under this section, the officer may seize the cash or negotiable bearer securities. (5) For the purpose of this section, the term– (a) “authorised officer’’ means– (i) a member of the Sierra Leone Police Force not below the rank of Assistant Superintendent, or (ii) a customs officer, or (iii) an employee of the Bank of Sierra Leone authorised in that behalf by the Governor; (b) “negotiable bearer securities’’ means a document representing ownership of debts or obligations, including bills of exchange, promissory notes or certificates of deposit made payable to the bearer. PART IV–FREEZING AND FORFEITURE OF ASSETS IN RELATION TO MONEY LAUNDERING