Article 88 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 88 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل العاشر: انتهاء التحقيق والتصرف في الدعوى
This article of the Regulations requires the public prosecutor to include in the statement of the case what was done about seized items and his requests regarding them, and regulates supplementary investigation after the case is filed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا كان في القضية مضبوطات تتعلق بموضوع الدعوى، فعلى المدعي العام - عند الاقتضاء - أن يضمن لائحة الدعوى - المعدة استناداً إلى المادة (السادسة والعشرين بعد المائة) من النظام - ما اتخذ في شأن تلك المضبوطات، وما يطلبه من المحكمة في شأنها.
2 - إذا طرأ - بعد رفع الدعوى إلى المحكمة المختصة - ما يستوجب إجراء تحقيق تكميلي، فعلى جهة التحقيق أن تقوم بإجرائه، بعد إبلاغ المحكمة المختصة بذلك، ثم ترفع محضراً بما تم في هذا الشأن إلى المحكمة لضمه إلى ملف الدعوى.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 88 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with two matters connected with the stage of filing the case with the court:
- Seized items in the statement of the case: If the case includes seized items related to its subject, the public prosecutor must, where necessary, include in the statement of the case prepared under Article 126 of the Law what was done about those items and what he asks of the court regarding them. The court is thus aware of the state of the seized items and of what is asked of it.
- Supplementary investigation: If, after the case has been filed with the competent court, something arises that calls for a supplementary investigation, the investigating body must conduct it, as follows:
- After informing the competent court of that.
- Then it submits a report of what was done to the court to be added to the case file.
Filing the case with the court therefore does not close the door to investigation if something arises that calls for it, but the supplementary investigation takes place with the court's knowledge and its result is added to the court's file. The article does not specify what kinds of things call for supplementary investigation.
This article is linked to Article 87 of the Regulations on the condition for archiving a case and notifying the heirs of the private claimant, and to Article 89 on the continuation of the court's territorial jurisdiction after the accused's release. It is also read with the articles of Chapter Four of the Regulations on disposing of seized items, including Article 62, which makes returning seized items after the case is filed the responsibility of the head of the judicial circuit.
If you have seized items in a case that has been referred to the court, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
The public prosecutor referred a forgery case in Riyadh to the court, and it included seized devices. He includes in the statement of the case what was done about the devices and what he asks of the court regarding them. After the case was filed, something arose that calls for supplementary investigation, so the investigating body conducts it after informing the court, and submits a report of what was done to it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 88 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Must seized items be mentioned in the statement of the case?
Where necessary, the public prosecutor must include in the statement of the case what was done about the seized items related to the subject of the case and what he asks of the court regarding them.
Can an investigation take place after the case is referred to the court?
Yes, if something arises that calls for a supplementary investigation, the investigating body conducts it after informing the competent court, then submits a report of what was done to be added to the case file.
More articles on Case Closure and Criminal Jurisdiction
- Article 10
The article states what is issued when the public case lapses before being brought, either filing the papers or filing the case, and that lapse does not prevent investigation, confiscation or proceeding against the other accused.
1- إذا انقضت الدعوى الجزائية العامة قبل رفعها إلى المحكمة فيصدر رئيس دائرة التحقيق أمراً بحفظ الأوراق وفق ما نصت عليه المادة (الثالثة والستون) من النظام والمادة
- Article 42
The article requires an order to archive papers to be written and reasoned, and makes archiving before any investigation procedure an administrative act that the Bureau may reverse at any time.
1- يجب أن يكون الأمر بحفظ الأوراق - المنصوص عليه في المادة (الثالثة والستين) من النظام - مكتوباً ومسبباً. 2 - يكون حفظ الأوراق قبل اتخاذ أي إجراء من إجراءات الت
- Article 43
The article requires the investigator to notify the victim and the private claimant, or their heirs, of the order to archive papers in writing, with the person notified signing to acknowledge it in a special register.
يُبلغ المحققُ المجني عليه والمدعي بالحق الخاص، أو ورثتهما - بحسب الأحوال - بأمر حفظ الأوراق؛ كتابةً، ويوقع المبلَّغ بالعلم به في سجل خاص لذلك.
- Article 63
This article of the Regulations specifies the competent court referred to in Article 90 of the Law, and what it does where seized items are disputed or it is doubtful who is entitled to receive them.
1- المحكمة المختصة الوارد ذكرها في المادة (التسعين) من النظام هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثمانين) من النظام. 2- إذا رفع الأمر إلى الم
- Article 65
This article of the Regulations makes the court of the place of investigation the competent court, and requires it to refer litigants to the locally competent court if it decides to refer them to litigate and lacks local jurisdiction.
1- المحكمة التي يقع في دائرتها مكان التحقيق - الوارد ذكرها في المادة (الثالثة والتسعين) من النظام - هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثماني
- Article 87
This article of the Regulations requires an investigation procedure to precede archiving of a case, and regulates notifying the heirs of the private claimant of the archiving order.
1- يشترط لحفظ الدعوى - وفق المادة (الرابعة والعشرين بعد المائة) من النظام - أن يسبقه إجراء من إجراءات التحقيق. 2 - يحصل تبليغ جميع ورثة المدعي بالحق الخاص بأمر
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.