Section 430 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria. Having possession of thing reasonably suspected of having been stolen

(1) Any person who is charged before any court with having in his possession or under his control in any manner or in any place, or for that he at any time within the three months immediately preceding the making of the complaint, did have in his possession or under his control in any manner or in any place, anything which is reasonably suspected of having been stolen or unlawfully obtained, and who does not give an account, to the satisfaction of the court, as to how he came by the same, is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of two hundred naira or to imprisonment for six months.

(2) Where any person is charged before any court with having or with having had in his possession or under his control in any manner or in any place anything which has been stolen or unlawfully obtained, or which is reasonably suspected of having been stolen or unlawfully obtained, and declares that he received the same for some other person or that he was employed as a carrier, agent or servant for some other person, the court is hereby authorised and required, if practicable, to cause every such other person and also if necessary every former or pretended purchaser or other person through whose possession such thing as aforesaid has passed or who has had control thereof, to be brought before it and to examine witnesses upon oath touching the same; and if it appears to the court that any person has had possession or control of such thing and had reasonable cause to believe the same to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, every such person shall be deemed to have had possession or control of such thing at the time and place when and where the same was found or seized, and is guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction to a fine of two hundred naira or to imprisonment

for six months.

(3) The possession of or control by a carrier, agent or servant shall be deemed to be the possession of or control by the person who employed such carrier, agent or servant to have or deal with such thing and such person shall be liable on conviction to the punishment herein mentioned.

(4) The offender may be arrested without warrant.

Section 430 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria

Act structure