Section 7
Prohibition of quasi military organisation
(1)
If the members or adherents of any association of persons, whether incorporated or not, are organised, trained or equipped for the purpose of enabling them to be employed -
(a)
in usurping the functions of any security force; or
(b)
either for the use or display of physical force in promoting any political or other object, or in such a manner as to arouse reasonable apprehension that they are organised or trained or equipped for that purpose, then any member or adherent of such association is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for 3 years; and any person who promotes or conspires with another to promote. or who takes part in the control or management of the association, or in so organising or training as aforesaid any member or adherent thereof, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine and imprisonment for 5 years:
Provided that, in any proceedings against any person charged with the offence of taking part in the control or management of such an association as aforesaid, it shall be a defence to that charge to prove that he neither consented to, nor connived at, the organisation, training or equipment of any member or adherent of the association in contravention of this section.
(2)
If, upon application being made by or on behalf of the Attorney
General, it appears to the High Court that any association is an association of which members or adherents are organised, trained or equipped in contravention of this section, the Court may -
(a)
make such order as appears necessary to prevent any disposition without the leave of the Court of property held by or for the association;
@I) direct an inquiry and report to be made as to any such property as aforesaid and as to the affairs of the association;
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Public Order
(c)
make such further order as appears to the Court to be just and equitable for the application of such property in or towards -
(i)
the discharge of the liabilities of the association lawfully incurred before the date of the application. or since the date with the approval of the Court;
(ii)
the repayment of moneys to persons who became subscribers or contributors to the association in good faith and without knowledge of any such contravention as aforesaid; and
(iii)
any costs incurred in connection with any such inquiry and report as aforesaid, or in winding-up or dissolving the association; and
(d)
order that any property which is not directed by the Court to be so applied as aforesaid shall be forfeited to the Government.
(3)
In any criminal or civil proceedings under this section, proof of things done or of words written, spoken or published, whether or not in the presence of any party to the proceedings, by any person taking part in the control or management of an association or in organising, training or equipping members or adherents of an association, shall be admissible as evidence of the purposes for which, or the manner in which, members or adherents of the association were organised, trained or equipped.
(4)
If a magistrate is satisfied by information that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence against this section has been committed, and that evidence of the commission thereof is to be found at any premises or place specified in the information, he may by warrant authorise the person to whom it is directed to enter, with such assistance as may be required, the premises or place, at any time within one month from the date of the warrant, if necessary by force, and to search the premises or place and every person found therein, and to seize anything found on the premises or place, or on any such person, which the officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting to be evidence of the commission of such an offence as aforesaid:
Provided that no woman shall, in pursuance of a warrant issued under this subsection, be searched except by a woman.
Pzrhl ic Order
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(5)
Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the employment of a reasonable number of persons as stewards to assist in the preservation of order at any public meeting held upon private premises with the permission of the owner of those premises, or the making of arrangements for that purpose, or the instruction of the persons to be so employed in their lawful duties as such stewards, or their being furnished with badges or other distinguishing signs.