Section 21: Lodging of complaints

(1) A person who alleges that a leader or public officer has committed a breach of this Code may lodge a complaint to that effect with the Inspectorate and the Inspectorate shall register the complaint. (2) On receipt of a complaint under subsection (1), the Inspectorate shall investigate, or cause the complaint to be investigated if satisfied that- (a) the complaint is not trivial or frivolous and is not made in bad faith; and (b) the subject matter of the complaint is not outside the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate. (3) The Inspectorate shall, upon completion of an investigation and being satisfied with the circumstances set out under subsection (2)(a) and (b), inform a leader or public officer that a complaint has been made against him or her. (4) The Inspectorate's decision not to investigate or cause a complaint to be investigated, shall not limit the Inspectorate's power to make an investigation generally into a matter on its own initiative. (5) A complainant is entitled to be informed of any action the Inspectorate intends to take or has taken in respect of his or her complaint. (6) A leader or public officer shall, within thirty days of receipt of the notification under subsection (3), respond in writing to the complaint made against him or her. (7) Any person who knowingly gives false information to the Inspector General under this section commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred currency points or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.