Series 3 - Disciplinary Action procedures in cases where an officer is absent without leave and cannot be traced.

• Introduction
  Disciplinary action procedure in relation to cases where an officer is absent without leave and cannot be traced is provided in Regulation 26, Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) 1993.
• Head of Department’s Action
  Where an officer is absent from duty without leave or without prior permission or without reasonable cause for 7 consecutive working days and cannot be traced, the Head of Department shall cause a letter to be delivered personally or sent by A.R registered post to the officer at his last known address, instructing the officer to immediately report for duty.
  
  If the letter is delivered, the Head of Department shall proceed to submit a report to the appropriate Disciplinary Authority to institute disciplinary action against the officer regardless of whether the officer has reported for duty or otherwise.
  
  If however, the A.R. Registered letter is returned undelivered, the Head of Department shall report the matter to the Disciplinary Authority having the jurisdiction to impose a punishment of dismissal or reduction in rank upon the officer.
• Disciplinary Authority Action
  In cases where the letter has been delivered successfully, upon receiving the Head of Departments report, the Disciplinary authority may proceed to take the usual disciplinary action.
  
  On the other hand, in cases where the letter is returned undelivered, upon receipt of the Head of Department’s report, the Disciplinary Authority which has the jurisdiction to impose a punishment of dismissal or reduction in rank on the officer shall take steps to publish a notice in at least one daily newspaper published in the language and having national circulation as determined by the Disciplinary Authority as provided in Regulation 26(4), Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993. The newspaper notice shall provide the following details:
  1. the fact that the officer has been absent from duty and cannot be traced; and
  2. requiring the officer to report for duty within 7 days from the date of such publication;
• Post publication of notice action
  In the event the officer reports for duty within 7 days from the date of publication of the notice, the Head of Department shall report the matter to the appropriate Disciplinary Authority. Subsequently, the Disciplinary Authority shall institute the usual disciplinary proceeding against the officer.
  
  If the officer fails to report for duty within 7 days from the date of publication of the notice, the officer shall be deemed to have been dismissed from the service with effect from the date he was absent from duty. After which, the dismissal of the officer shall be notified in the Gazzette, pursuant to Regulation 26(7), Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.