(1) Where a document is produced to a police officer under an order under section 41, the police officer may—
(a) inspect the document;
(b) take extracts from the document;
(c) make copies of the document; or
(d) retain the document if, and for so long as, retention of the document is reasonably necessary for the purposes of this Act.
(2) Where a police officer retains a document under an order under section 41, the police officer shall—
(a) give the person to whom the order was addressed a copy of the document certified by the police officer in writing to be a true copy of the document retained; and
(b) unless the person received a copy of the document under paragraph (a), permit the person to—
(i) inspect the document,
(ii) take extracts from the document, or
(iii) make copies of the document.
(3) Documents produced in compliance with a production order may be retained for as long as it is necessary to retain it in connection with the investigation for the purposes of which the order was made. (Inserted by Act 18 of 2023)
(4) Where a police officer has reasonable grounds for believing that—
(a) documents may need to be produced for the purposes of legal proceedings; and
(b) documents may become unavailable for the purposes under paragraph (a),
the documents may be retained until the proceedings are concluded.
(Inserted by Act 18 of 2023)