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5. WHEN CORONER TO HOLD INQUEST

1. A Coroner shall hold an inquest in each case where he is informed that a person is dead and there is reasonable cause to suspect that the person:

a) Has died either a violent or an unnatural death or

b) Has died while [in the legal custody of the Superintendent of a penal institution]; or

c) Has died in such a place or under such circumstances that, in accordance with the provisions of any enactment other than this Act, an Inquest is required to be held.

2. A Coroner shall hold an Inquest where he is informed that any person has died a sudden death of which the cause is unknown;

Provided that in any such case the Coroner may decide, in accordance with section 6 of this Act, not to hold an Inquest.

3. Where a Coroner is informed that a person has died while (a committed patient or a special patient within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1969), or while committed to the care of the Superintendent of Child Welfare under the Child Welfare Act 1925, or while an inmate of a children's home under Part 1 of the Child Welfare Amendment Act 1927, or while an inmate of an Intebrates Home or a Reformatory Home under the Reformatory Institutions Act 1909, or while in such a place or in such circumstances that, in accordance with the provisions of any enactment other than this Act, notice of the death is required to be given to a Coroner, the Coroner shall hold an Inquest if he considers an inquest to be necessary or desirable:

Provided that nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to authorise a Coroner to dispense with an Inquest in any case to which subsection (1) or subsection (2) of this section applies.

4. It shall be the duty of any person finding a person lying dead, or having knowledge of the death of any person in any of the circumstances set forth in the foregoing provisions of this section, to report the death to a constable, who shall thereupon report the death to a Coroner.

5. After a constable has reported the death to a Coroner in accordance with subsection (4) of this section, the police shall make such inquiries as may be necessary for the purposes of this Act or as may be directed by the Coroner.