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(a) for inspection by any person without charge;
(b) by supplying a copy to any person on
request for which a reasonable charge to cover
the costs of copying and supplying them may
be made; and
(c) on the internet, provided that the materials
are held by the authority in electronic format.
PART III–EXEMPT INFORMATION
Exempt
information.
12. (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure by
a public authority is exempted under this Act.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), information shall not
be exempt where the public interest in accessing the information outweighs the harm which the exemption in subsection (1) seeks to
prevent.
Refusal of
request.
13. A public authority which, in relation to any request for
information, is to any extent relying on a claim that information is
exempt information shall, within the time limits for complying with
section 2, notify the applicant in writing stating–
(a) that the information is exempt;
(b) the specific exemption in question; and
(c) why the exemption applies.
Information
accessible by
other means.
14. (1) The duty to disclose information shall not apply if, or
to the extent that, compliance with section 2 would involve the
disclosure of any information which is reasonably accessible to the
applicant.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)–
(a) information is reasonably accessible even
though it is accessible only on payment, as
long as the payment does not exceed the fees
that would be applicable under this Act;
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(b) information is reasonably accessible if it is
information which the public authority or any
other person is bound by law to communicate;
(c) information which is held by a public authority
shall not be regarded as reasonably
accessible merely because the information is
available from the public authority itself on
request, unless the information is made
available in accordance with the publication
scheme referred to in section 8.
15. The duty to disclose information shall not apply if, or to
the extent that, compliance with section 2 would or could reasonably
be expected to seriously prejudice national security and the defence
of Sierra Leone.
National
security and
defence.
16. The duty to disclose information shall not apply if, or to
the extent that, compliance with section 2 would, or could reasonably
be expected to seriously prejudice relations between Sierra Leone
and any other state or inter-governmental body.
International
relations.
17. The duty to disclose information shall not apply if, or to
the extent that, compliance with section 2 would, or could reasonably
be expected to seriously prejudice the ability of the Government to
manage the economy.
Economic
interests.
18. The duty to disclose information shall not apply if, or to
the extent that, compliance with section 2 would, or could reasonably
be expected to cause serious prejudice to–
Investigations
and law
enforcement.
(a) the prevention and detection of crime;
(b) the apprehension and prosecution of
offenders; or
(c) matters that are subjudice.