Provisional Charge in other Countries 18/10/25

 1. Mauritius and Similar Jurisdictions

Mauritius inherited much of its criminal procedure from British common law, but its system is a hybrid (French civil law + British procedure).

Hence, provisional charges are used mainly in:

• Mauritius

• Seychelles

• Botswana

• Namibia

• Some Caribbean Commonwealth countries (e.g., Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica — though with limitations)

In these jurisdictions, police may enter a temporary charge before a magistrate while they complete their investigations.

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 2. United Kingdom

In England and Wales, the concept of a provisional charge does not exist in the same way.

• The police may arrest a person on reasonable suspicion.

• The suspect can be detained and questioned (usually up to 24–96 hours, depending on the offence).

• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) then decides whether to charge formally.
  If there is insufficient evidence, the person must be released — there is no provisional charge pending investigation.

Thus, the UK system gives the prosecution (not the police) the power to charge, ensuring checks on police authority.

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 3. France and Civil Law Countries

In France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and most continental European systems, there is no provisional charge.

Instead:

• The public prosecutor (Procureur) or investigating judge (Juge d’instruction) supervises the investigation.

• A suspect may be placed under judicial investigation (mise en examen), which is similar but more judicially controlled than the Mauritian provisional charge.

• Detention or bail is tightly regulated by the judge, not the police.

So, in civil law countries, the process is more structured and rights-based.

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 4. United States

In the U.S., after arrest:

• The police must bring the suspect before a judge within 48 hours.

• The prosecutor must file a formal charge (complaint or indictment) right away.
  There is no concept of a provisional charge — if there’s insufficient evidence, the person must be released.
  However, “preliminary hearings” exist, where the court determines if there is probable cause to proceed with prosecution.

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 5. India and Other Commonwealth States

In India, Kenya, and Pakistan, police may file a First Information Report (FIR) and arrest a suspect, but again there is no formal provisional charge.

After investigation, a charge sheet is filed before the court.

If the investigation shows no offence, the accused is released.

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 6. Summary Comparison Table

Region / Country	Provisional Charge Exists?	Authority Controlling Process	Remarks
Mauritius	Yes	Police + Magistrate + DPP	Temporary; subject to DPP decision
Seychelles	Yes	Police + Court	Similar to Mauritius
UK	No	CPS	Only formal charge after evidence
France	No	Investigating Judge	Judicial investigation replaces it
USA	No	Prosecutor	Requires immediate formal charge
India	No	Police + Magistrate	FIR system and charge sheet later
Botswana, Namibia	Yes	Police + Court	Common-law adaptation

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 7. Why Mauritius Retained It

Mauritius kept the provisional charge because:

• It allows the police to act swiftly when serious crimes occur and evidence is still being gathered.

• It provides a legal basis for detention during ongoing investigations.
  However, it is increasingly seen as outdated and in conflict with human rights norms, especially the presumption of innocence and the right to liberty.

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 8. Global Trend

Modern legal systems are moving away from the provisional charge model, toward:

• Stronger judicial oversight

• Faster prosecutorial review

• Protection of suspects’ rights

Mauritius is thus under pressure for reform, to align with international human rights standards such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).