Section 21—Appearance of Juvenile in Court and Bail.
(1) When a juvenile appears before a juvenile court charged with any offence, the court shall enquire into the case and, unless there is a serious danger to the juvenile or the community, release the juvenile on bail.
(2) A juvenile granted bail shall be released from custody after giving security or accepting specified conditions.
(3) Bail may be granted on the juvenile's own undertaking or with sureties from the parents, guardian, or close relative of the juvenile or a responsible person.
(4) The amount of the bail shall be fixed with due regard to the circumstances of the case and shall not be excessive or harsh.
(5) A juvenile court may refuse to grant bail if it is satisfied that the juvenile
(a) may not appear to stand trial;
(b) may interfere with any witness, evidence or hamper police investigations; or
(c) may commit a further offence when on bail.
(6) If bail is not granted, the juvenile court shall record the reasons for the refusal and inform the applicant that there is a right to apply for bail in the High Court.
Section 22—Assistance to Juvenile.
The juvenile court shall, at the commencement of proceedings in court, inform the juvenile in a language that the juvenile understands of the following,
(a) the right to remain silent;
(b) the right to have a parent, guardian, close relative or probation officer present at the proceedings;
(c) the right to legal representation; and
(d) the right to Legal aid.
Section 23—Remand of Juvenile.
(1) Where a juvenile is not released on bail, the juvenile court may make an order
(a) committing the juvenile to the care of the juvenile's parents, guardian, close relative or any fit person who is willing to take care of the juvenile; or
(b) remanding the juvenile to a remand home situated within a reasonable distance from the court.
(2) The order for remand shall be delivered with the juvenile to the person who is to have care of the juvenile and shall be sufficient authority for the detention of the juvenile by the person.
(3) A juvenile under a remand order shall be deemed to be in legal custody while on remand and while being conveyed to or from the remand home and if the juvenile escape may be apprehended without warrant.
(4) The maximum period of a remand warrant shall be seven days and no remand warrant shall be renewed without the appearance of the juvenile at the hearing.
(5) The total period of remand of a juvenile shall not exceed three months except in the case of an offence punishable by death where the period of remand shall not exceed six months.
(6) A juvenile shall not be placed on remand in an adult prison.
(7) A female juvenile shall not be remanded in the same remand home at the same time as a male juvenile.
(8) A female juvenile on remand shall be supervised only by a female.
(9) The police or probation officers shall be responsible for transporting a juvenile between the juvenile court and the remand home.
Section 30—Power to Order Parent to Pay Fine instead of Juvenile.
(1) A court when dealing with a juvenile offender upon whom a fine, damages or costs may be imposed, may order that the fine, damages or costs awarded be paid by the parent, guardian or close relative of the juvenile instead of by the juvenile, unless the court is satisfied that any of them cannot be found or that they have not contributed to the commission of the offence by neglecting to exercise due care for the juvenile.
(2) The ability of the parent, guardian or close relative to pay a fine, damages or costs shall be taken into consideration by the court before the order is made and shall not be used as a basis for discrimination against the juvenile.
(3) The power conferred under subsection (1) may be exercised with or without any other punishment.
Section 31—Probation.
(1) A juvenile court may grant or amend a probation order made by it or any other court if it considers it in the best interest of the juvenile to do so.
(2) Circumstances such as the nature of the offence, the character, antecedents and home surroundings provided in the social inquiry report shall be considered by the court when granting or amending a probation order.
(3) The court shall explain to the juvenile offender in a language that the offender understands, the effect of the order.
(4) If a juvenile breaches the conditions of the probation order or commits an offence during the period of the probation order, the juvenile is liable to be sentenced for the original offence.
(5) A probation order shall be valid for not less than six months or more than eighteen months.
(6) A juvenile offender under probation shall be under the supervision of a probation officer appointed for or assigned to the district where the juvenile offender resides.