Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

37.   Coroner's inquest

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   (1)   Where a coroner who has jurisdiction to hold an inquest relating to a death is satisfied that the deceased person at the time of his or her death had a relevant association with a visiting force, then unless the Director of Public Prosecution otherwise directs, the coroner may not hold the inquest or, if the inquest has begun but is not completed, shall adjourn it.

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   (2)   Notwithstanding subsection (1) a coroner referred to in that subsection shall, unless the Attorney General otherwise directs, adjourn the inquest if he or she is satisfied—

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      (a)     that a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the service courts of a designated State has been charged before a court of that State with the homicide of the deceased person, whether or not that charge has been dealt with; or

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      (b)     that a person referred to in paragraph (a) is being detained by an authority of that State with a view to being so charged.

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   (3)   Where an inquest is adjourned under this section, the coroner may resume the inquest only on the direction of the Attorney General.

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   (4)   Where an inquest that was adjourned under this section is resumed, the coroner shall proceed in all respects as if the inquest had not been previously begun.

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   (5)   In this section—

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      (a)     the expression “homicide” includes murder, manslaughter, infanticide and any offence under the law of the country in question which is analogous to any of those offences;

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      (b)     references to a person having at any time a relevant association with a visiting force are references to his or her being at that time a person of one or other of the following descriptions, that is to say—

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         (i)     a member of that visiting force or a member of a civilian component of that force,

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         (ii)     a person, not being a citizen of Saint Lucia or ordinarily resident in Saint Lucia who is a dependant of a member of that visiting force or of a civilian component of that force.

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   (6)   In determining whether a person is, or was at any time, ordinarily resident in Saint Lucia, no account shall be taken of any period during which he or she has been or intends to be present in Saint Lucia while being a member of a visiting force or of a civilian component of such a force, or while being a dependant of a member of a visiting force or of such a civilian component.