Effect of forfeiture order on conviction

(1) Subject to sub-section (2), where a court makes a forfeiture order against any property, that property shall vest absolutely in the Government by virtue of that order. (2) Where the property ordered to be forfeited is land– (a) the Government shall be entitled to be registered as the legal owner of that property; (b) that property shall vest in the Government in equity but does not vest in law until the applicable registration requirements under the Registered Land Act or the Law of Property Act, as appropriate, has been complied with; and CAP. 194. CAP. 190. (c) the Director of Public Prosecutions shall, on behalf of the Government, do or authorize the doing of anything necessary or convenient to obtain the registration of the Government as the legal owner, including the execution of any instrument to be executed by a person transferring an interest in property of that kind. (3) Where the court makes a forfeiture order against Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) [CAP. 108:01 33 (a) the property shall not, except with the leave of the court and in accordance with any directions of the court, be disposed of, or otherwise dealt with, by or on behalf of the Government before the relevant appeal date; or (b) if after the relevant appeal date, the order has not been discharge, the property may be disposed of and the proceeds thereof deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. (4) In this section “relevant appeal date” used in relation to a forfeiture order made in consequence of a person's conviction of the offence of trafficking in persons means– (a) the date on which the period allowed by the Rules of Court for the lodging of an appeal against a person's conviction or for the lodging of an appeal against the making of the forfeiture order expires without an appeal having been lodged, whichever is the later; or (b) where an appeal against a person's conviction or against the making of the forfeiture order is lodged, the date on which the appeal lapses in accordance with the Rules of Court or is finally determined, whichever is the later.