Jonathan v Commissioner of Police and Another (CIV/APN 276 of 86) [1986] LSCA 128 (15 September 1986)

C I V / A P N / 2 7 6 / 86 IN T HE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In t he A p p l i c a t i on o f: C H I EF L E A B UA J O N A T H AN and A p p l i c a nt C O M M I S S I O N ER OF P O L I CE A T T O R N EY G E N E R AL 1st R e s p o n d e nt 2nd R e s p o n d e nt J U D G M E NT D e l i v e r ed by t he H o n. M r. J u s t i ce B . K. M o l ai on t he 15th day of S e p t e m b e r, 1 9 8 6. On 4th S e p t e m b e r, 1 9 8 6, t he A p p l i c a nt h e r e in f i l ed w i th t he R e g i s t r ar of t h is C o u rt an u r g e nt a p p l i c a t i on in w h i ch he m o v ed t he c o u rt for an o r d er f r a m ed in t he f o l l o w i ng t e r m s: " 1. D e c l a r i ng t h at o r d e rs by R e s p o n d e nt in l e t t er to A p p l i c a nt d a t ed 20th A u g u s t, 1986 are i n v a l i e d, of no f o r ce and e f f e ct and t he A p p l i c a nt need n ot to a b i de by them nor h e ed t he s a m e. 2. R e s p o n d e n ts to pay c o s ts of t h is a p p l i c a t i on in t he e v e nt of t h e ir o p p o s i ng s a m e. 3. G r a n t i ng the A p p l i c a nt f u r t h er a n d / or a l t e r n a t i ve r e l i e f ." On 5th S e p t e m b e r, 1986 t he R e s p o n d e n ts i n t i m a t ed t h e ir i n t e n t i on to o p p o se t h is a p p l i c a t i o n. Both t he f o u n d i ng and t he a n s w e r i ng a f f i d a v i ts w e re f i l ed by t he a p p l i c a nt and t he R e s p o n d e n t s, r e s p e c t i v e l y. No R e p l y i ng a f f i d a v it w a s, h o w e v e r, filed by t he A p p l i c a n t. It is c o m m on c a u se from the a f f i d a v i ts t h at on 20th A u g u s t, 1 9 8 6, 1st R e s p o n d e nt c a u s ed a l e t t e r, a n n e x u re A, to be s e r v ed u p on t he A p p l i c a n t. in p a r t: It r e a ds as f o l l o w s, 2/ " C h i ef L e a b ua J o n a t h a n, -2- " C h i ef L e a b ua J o n a t h a n, Ha R a k o l o. D e ar C h i e f, D ue to y o ur r e c e nt p o l i t i c al a c t i v i t i es w h i ch a re p r e j u d i c i al to p u b l ic s a f e ty a nd p u b l ic o r d e r, y ou a re h e n c e f o r th a nd w i th e f f e ct f r om y o ur b e i ng s e r v ed w i th t h is o r d e r, e x p e c t ed a nd o r d e r ed to c o n f i ne y o ur m o v e m e n ts w i t h in t he b o u n- d a r i es of t he s i te of y o ur r e s i d e n ce u n t il f u r t h er n o t i c e. O n ly m e m b e rs of y o ur i m m e d i a te f a m i ly a re a l l o w ed a c c e ss to y o u. In t he e v e nt t h at y ou f i nd y o u r s e lf c o m p e l l ed to m o ve b e y o nd t he a r ea y ou h a ve b e en r e s t r i c t ed t o, y ou a re o r d e r ed to n o t i fy t he n e a r e st P o l i ce S t a t i on to y o u. By o r d e r, ( S i g n e d) J a m es L e b i t so D i n g i s w a yo C O M M I S S I O N ER OF P O L I C E" In h is f o u n d i ng a f f i d a v i t, t he a p p l i c a nt a v e r r e d, i n t er a l i a, t h at t he l e t t e r, a n n e x u re A, d a t ed 2 0 th A u g u s t, 1 9 86 p u r p o r t ed to be a r e s t r i c t i on o r d er a g a i n st h i m. A n n e x u re A w a s, h o w e v er v a g ue as to t he r e a s o ns f or t he p u r p o r t ed o r d e r, its t e r ms a nd t he a u t h o r i ty u p on w h i ch it w as m a de f or he k n ew of no a c t i o ns or o m i s s i o ns by h im w h i ch c o u l d, in g o od f a i t h, be c o n s i d e r ed p r e j u d i c i al to p u b l ic s a f e ty or p u b l ic o r d e r. N o r, i n d e e d, d id he k n ow of t he a u t h o r i ty w h i ch 1st R e s p o n d e nt h a d, in l a w, to m a ke s u ch an o r d e r. N o t w i t h s t a n d i ng its p a t e nt i n v a l i d i ty a p p l i c a nt h ad h o w e v e r, b e en a d v i s ed t h at it w o u ld be u n w i se or i m p r o p er f or h im to s i m p ly i g n o re t he p u r p o r t ed o r d e r. T he a p p l i c a nt c o n t e n d ed t h at as t he p u r p o r t ed o r d er i m p i n g ed on h is l i b e r ty a nd i m p l i ed a t h r e at t h at a c t i on w o u ld be t a k en a g a i n st h i m, s h o u ld he f a il to o b s e r ve t he t e r ms t h e r e of he w as p r e j u d i c ed and it w a s, t h e r e f o r e, a m a t t er of p r e s s i ng u r g e n cy t h at c l a r i ty s h o u ld be o b t a i n ed by a d e c l a r a t o ry o r d er of t h is c o u r t. W h e r e f o r, he m o v ed t he c o u rt f or an o r d er as a f o r e s a i d. 3/ In h is . . . . . .. -3- In his a n s w e r i ng a f f i d a v i t, 1st R e s p o n d e nt d e p o s ed t h at he w as t he A c t i ng C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i c e. As C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i ce he w as s u b j e ct to t he g e n e r al d i r e c t i o ns of the m i n i s t er and had c o m m a nd and s u p e r i n t e n d a n ce o v er the e n t i re P o l i ce F o r ce w h o se duty w as to p r e s e r ve t he p e a ce and t a ke r e m e d i al a c t i on f or t he p r e v e n t i on and d e t e c t i on of c r i m e. He had in his p o s s e s s i on c r e d i b le i n f o r m a t i on t h at a p p l i c a nt w as e n g a g ed in a c t i v i t i es w h i ch c a u s ed i n t e r n al d i s s e n t i o ns and i n d u l g ed in s u b v e r s i ve activities w h i ch if left u n c h e c k ed w o u l d, in his o p i n i o n, h a ve u n d e r m i n ed p u b l ic p e a c e, t r a n q u i l i ty and n a t i o n al r e c o n c i l i a t i on w i t h in t he K i n g d om of L e s o t h o. He w as u n a b l e, to g i ve any d e t a i ls of such in- f o r m a t i on as it w as e x t r e m e ly s e n s i t i ve and d i s c l o s u re t h e r e of w o u ld p r e j u d i ce n a t i o n al and p u b l ic s e c u r i t y. H o w e v e r, t he i n t e r e st of P u b l ic s a f e ty d e m a n d ed t h at f or t he p r e s e r v a t i on t h e r e of he s h o u ld t a ke i m m e d i a te a c t i on to r e s t r i ct t he m o v e m e n ts of t he a p p l i c a n t. W h e r e f or on 20th A u g u s t, 1986 he w r o te to a p p l i c a nt a n n e x u re A w h i ch w as a r e s t r i c t i on o r d e r. 1st R e s p o n d e nt f u r t h er d e p o s ed t h at in t e r ms of S e c t i on 24A of t he I n t e r n al S e c u r i ty ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er 1986 w h i ch c a me into f o r ce on 1st A u g u s t, 1986 he w as e n t i t l ed to i s s ue r e s t r i c t i on o r d er i f, in h is o p i n i o n, t he p e r s on to w h om it w as issued w as c o n d u c t i ng h i m s e lf in a m a n n er w h i ch w as p r e j u d i c i al to p u b l ic o r d er and s e c u r i ty of L e s o t h o. On i n f o r m a t i on r e c e i v ed he had f o r m ed t he o p i n i on t h at t he a p p l i c a nt w as c o n d u c t i ng h i m s e lf in a m a n n er h i g h ly p r e j u d i c i al to p u b l ic o r d er and s e c u r i ty of L e s o t h o. On 7th S e p t e m b e r, i966 h e, t h e r e f o r e, issued a g a i n st t he a p p l i c a nt a n o t h er o r d er w h i ch r e i n f o r c ed t he e a r l i er o ne dated 20th A u g u s t, 1 9 8 6. It is s i g n i f i c a nt to n o te t h at no law had b e en cited as a u t h o r i ty f or t he 1st R e s p o n d e nt to i s s ue a r e s- t r i c t i on o r d e r, such as the o n e - e m b o d i ed in a n n e x u re A, a g a i n st t he a p p l i c a nt or any o t h er p e r s on for t h at m a t t e r. In his a n s w e r i ng a f f i d a v it t he 1st R e s p o n d e nt h a s, h o w e v e r, d e p o s ed t h at as t he C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i ce he w as s u b j e ct to t he G e n e r al d i r e c t i o ns of t he m i n i s t er t h us s u g g e s t i ng that he was a u t h o r i s ed so to act by t he m i n i s t e r 's g e n e r al d i r e c t i o ns v e s t ed in h i m. It s e e ms to m e, w h at t he 1st R e s p o n d e nt had in m i nd w as t he P o l i ce O r d er N o. 26 of 4/ -4- of 1971 of w h i ch s e c t i on 5 ( 1) p r o v i d e s: " 5 ( 1) The c o m m i s s i o n er s h a ll s u b j e ct to t he g e n e r al d i r e c t i o ns of t he m i n i s t e r, h a ve t he c o m m a nd and s u p e r i n t e n d e n ce of of t he F o r c e ." In my v i e w, t he g e n e r al d i r e c t i o ns of t he m i n i s t er u n d er w h i ch t he 1st R e s p o n d e nt is a u t h o r i s ed to a ct r e l a te to t he g o v e r n m e nt of t he P o l i ce F o r c e. I am f o r t i f i ed in t h is v i ew by t he p r o v i s i on of t he s u b s e q u e nt s u b s e c t i on ( 2) w h i ch c l e a r ly r e a d s: " ( 2) T he c o m m i s s i o n er m ay i s s ue or a p p r o ve s u ch o r d e rs a nd d i r e c t i on f or t he g o v e r n m e nt of t he F o r ce as he m ay d e em n e c e s s a r y ." T h e re c an be no d o u b t, t h e r e f o r e, t h at S e c t i on 5 of t he P o l i ce O r d er 1971 is no a u t h o r i ty t h at 1st R e s p o n d e nt is e m p o w e r ed to i s s ue o r d e rs r e l a t i ng to t he a p p l i c a nt w ho is n ot a m e m b er of t he P o l i ce F o r c e. F r om a p r o p er r e a d i ng of a n n e x u re A, it is abundantly c l e ar t h at t he g r o u n ds u p on w h i ch it w as d e c i d ed to a ct i n f o r m a t i on t h at a p p l i c a nt e n g a g ed in s u b v e r s i ve a c t i v i t i es a g a i n st h im w as t h at t h e re w as l i k e ly to e n d a n g er p u b l ic s a f e ty and p u b l ic o r d e r. A s s u m i ng t he c o r r e c t n e ss of t he i n f o r m a t i on t h at the a p p l i c a nt i n d u l- ged in s u b v e r s i ve a c t i v i t i es it s e e ms to me t h at t he r e l e v a nt law u n d er w h i ch l a w f ul s t e ps c o u ld be t a k en a g a i n st h im w as t he I n t e r n al S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) A ct N o . 24 of 1 9 8 4. H o w e v e r, t h at Act. m a de no p r o v i s i on f or t he C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i ce to i s s ue r e s t r i c t i on o r d e rs a g a i n st p e r s o ns i n v o l v ed in s u b v e r s i ve a c t i v i t i e s. W h at s e c t i on 1 3 { 1) of t he I n t e r n al S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) A c t, s u p r a, e m p o w e rs m e m b e rs of t he P o l i ce F o r ce to do is to a r r e st a ny s u ch p e r s o n s. T he s e c t i on r e a d s: " 1 3 ( 1) A m e m b er of t he P o l i ce F o r ce m ay a r r e st w i t h o ut w a r r a nt a p e r s on w h om he r e a s o n a b ly s u s p e c ts to be a p e r s on i n v o l v ed in s u b- v e r s i ve a c t i v i t y ." T h at t he I n t e r n al S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) A ct N o. 24 of 1964 h ad no p r o v i s i on a u t h o r i s i ng m e m b e rs of t he P o l i ce F o r ce to m a ke p r o h i b i t i on o r d e rs a g a i n st p e r s o ns i n v o l v ed in s u b v e r s i ve a c t i v i t i es is e v i d e n c ed by t he f a ct t h at on 4th S e p t e m b e r, 1 9 86 t he L e g i s l a t u re h ad to e n a ct t he I n t e r n al 5/ S e c u r i ty ... -5- S e c u r i ty ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er N o. 21 of 1986 by w h i ch the P r i n c i p al Act w as a m e n d ed by the i n s e r t i o n, a f t er s e c t i on 2 4, of S e c t i on 24A which r e a d s, in p a r t; " 2 4 A ( 1) The C o m m i s s i o n er m a y, s u b j e ct to the- a p p r o v al of the m i n i s t e r, issue a r e s t r i c- t i on o r d er to a p e r s on who in his o p i n i on is c o n d u c t i ng h i m s e lf in a m a n n er p r e j u- dicial to p u b l ic o r d e r, the S e c u r i ty of L e s o t h o, the a d m i n i s t r a t i on of j u s t i ce or o b e d i e n ce to the law or lawful a u t h o r i t y ," If the Internal S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) Act N o. 24 of 1984 It may also be o b s e r v ed t h at w h i l st had a p r o v i s i on a u t h o r i s i ng m e m b e rs of the p o l i ce F o r ce to m a ke r e s t r i c t i on o r d e rs t h e re w o u ld have been no need for t he l e g i s l a t u re to amend it by the Internal S e c u r i ty ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er No. 21 of 1 9 8 6. in t e r ms of s e c t i on 2 of the P o l i ce O r d er N o. 26 of.1971 the d e f i n i t i on of t he word "Commissioner'1 i n c l u d es the A c t i ng C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i c e, the word " C o m m i s s i o n e r" u n d er s e c t i on 3 ( 1) of the Internal S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) Act N o . 24 of 1984 is s i m p ly d e f i n ed as m e a n i ng "the C o m m i s s i o n er of L e s o t ho M o u n t ed P o l i c e" and does not include t he A c t i ng C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i c e. the A c t i ng C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i ce is the C o m m i s s i o n er of P o l i ce for p u r p o s es of the Internal S e c u r i ty ( G e n e r a l) Act N o. 24 of 1 9 8 4. It c a n n ot t h e r e f o re be said that T h e re is not the s l i g h t e st d o u bt in my mind t h at w h en on 20th A u g u st 1986 t he 1st R e s p o n d e nt issued the r e s t r i c t i on o r d er a g a i n st the a p p l i c a nt t h e re was no law a u t h o r i s i ng him to do s o. His a c t i on w a s, t h e r e f o r e, ultra v i r es and for that r e a s on of no legal f o r c e. That i s, h o w e v e r, not the end of t he story for when on 4th S e p t e m b e r, 1986 the Internal S e c u r i ty ( A m e n d m e n t) O r d er No.21 of 1986 came into being the L e g i s l a t u re e n a c t ed that it was d o o m ed to h a ve come into o p e r a t i on on 1st A u g u s t, 1 9 8 6. The e f f e ct of t h is was to l e g a l i se 1st R e s p o n d e n t 's r e s t r i c t i on o r d er ( a n n e x u re A) of 20th A u g u st 1986 which was o t h e r w i se i l l e g a l. T h e re a r e, h o w e v e r, two p r o b l e ms w h i ch seem to b e d e v il the r e s t r i c t i on o r d er ( a n n e x u re A). Firstly the Internal S e c u r i ty ( A m e n d m e n t) o r d e r, 1986 d o es not amend the d e f i n i t i on of t he term " c o m m i s s i o n e r" under the i n t e r p r e t a t i on s e c t i on 3 ( 1) of the P r i n c i p al A c t. The 1st R e s p o n d e nt as the A c t i ng C o m m i s s i o n er 6/ of -6- of P o l i ce remains excluded in the d e f i n i t i on of the term " c o m m i s s i o n e r" and, it seems to me cannot be r e g a r d ed as such for purposes of the Internal Security ( G e n e r a l) Act 1 9 8 4, G r a n- ted that as the Acting C o m m i s s i o n er of Police 1st R e s p o n d e nt is not the " C o m m i s s i o n e r" within the m e a n i ng of the Internal Security ( G e n e r a l) Act N o. 24 of 1984 it follows that he cannot lawful issue r e s t r i c t i on orders under section 24A of the Internal Security ( A m e n d m e n t) order N o. 21 of 1 9 8 6. Secondly S. 24A (2) of the Internal Security ( A m e n d m e n t) order N o. 21 of 1966 p r o v i d e s: "(2) A r e s t r i c t i on order shall be in writing and shall become e f f e c t i ve from the date i s s u e: Provided that if after 14 days from the date of issue the m i n i s t er does not a p p r o ve the order it shall lapse f o r t h w i t h ." The r e s t r i c t i on order (annexure A) was issued against the a p p l i c a nt on 20th A u g u s t, 1 9 8 6. The 14 days referred to under the p r o v i so to the a b o ve cited s u b s e c t i on (2) expired on 4th S e p t e m b e r, 1986. T h e re is no s u g g e s t i on that the m i n i s t er had approved the r e s t r i c t i on o r d er on or before 4th September, 1 9 8 6. It m u s t, t h e r e f o r e, be accepted that when on 4th S e p t e m b e r, 1986 the 14 days expired w i t h o ut the m i n i s t er a p p r o v i ng it, the r e s t r i c t i on order lapsed and had no legal f o r c e. That being s o, the a p p l i c a nt c a n n o t, in law be expected to abide by it. This should be enough to d i s p o se of the n a t t er for the o t h er order dated 7th S e p t e m b e r, 1986 was n o n - e x i s t a nt at the t i me the a p p l i c a nt instituted these p r o c e e d i n g s. c a n n o t, t h e r e f o r e, be the o r d er in respect of which this Court is required to a d j u d i c a t e. It In the r e s u l t, it is obvious that the view that I take is that this application ought to succeed and it is a c c o r d i n g ly granted in terms of prayers 1 and 2 of the notice of m o t i o n. For A p p l i c a nt , For R e s p o n d e nt : M r. S a p i er : M r. M g u l u m a. B. K. MOLAI JUDGE 15th S e p t e m b e r, 1986.