Section 20: Interpretation of Chapter II.

(1) In this Chapter, save where the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the followingmeanings respectively, that is to say— “Contravention” in relation to any requirement, includes a failure to comply with that requirement, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly; “court” means any court of law in Sierra Leone other than a local court or a court constituted by or under service law and— a) in Section 6, Section 7, Section 8, Section 9, subsections (3), (5), (6), (8) (but not the proviso thereto) and subsection (10) of Section 13, subsection 2 of Section 15, subsection (8) of Section 17, subsection (3) of Section 18 and subsection 3 of Section 19 includes, in relation to an offence against service law, a court so constituted; and b) in Sections 7 and 9, and subsection (8) of Section 17, includes, in relation to an offence against service law, an officer of a defence force or of the Sierra Leone Police Force; “defence force” means any naval, military, paramilitary, or airforce of the Government of Sierra Leone; “member” in relation to a defence force or other disciplined force, includes any person who, under the law regulating the discipline of that force, is subject to that discipline; “service law” means the law regarding the discipline of a defence force or of the Sierra Leone Police Force or the Prisons Service or any disciplined volunteer force. (2) References in Sections 6, 7, 8 and 11 to a “criminal offence” shall be construed as including references to an offence against service law and such references in subsections (4) to (9) of Section 13 shall, in relation to proceedings before a court constituted by or under service law, be similarly construed. (3) Nothing done by or under the authority of the law of any country other than Sierra Leone to a member of an armed force raised under that law and lawfully present in Sierra Leone shall be held to be in contravention of the provisions of this Chapter. (4) In relation to any person who is a member of a disciplined force raised under an Act of Parliament, nothing contained in or done under the authority of the disciplinary law of that force shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of any of the provisions of this Chapter. (5) In relation to any person who is a member of a disciplined force raised otherwise than as aforesaid and lawfully present in Sierra Leone nothing contained in or done under the authority of the disciplinary law of that force shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of any of the provisions of this Chapter. (6) In determining the appropriate “majority of all members of Parliament” account shall only be taken of the persons actually and validly existing as Members of Parliament at the relevant time. CHAPTER III—THE PRESIDENT