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(1) The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court or Regional Tribunal may assign a lawyer by way of legal aid to any party to any proceedings before the Court or Tribunal where the Court or Tribunal is of the opinion that it is desirable in the interest of justice that the party should have legal aid and that he is financially unable to obtain the services of a lawyer.

(2) A Circuit Court, a Circuit or Community Tribunal may also with the prior approval of the Chief Justice unless otherwise provided in this Act assign a lawyer by way of legal aid to any party in any proceedings before the Court or Tribunal where it appears to the Court or Tribunal desirable in the interest of justice that the party should have legal aid and that he has not sufficient means to enable him to obtain the services of a lawyer.

(3) For the purpose of enforcing any provision of the Constitution a person shall have legal aid in connection with any proceedings relating to the Constitution if he has reasonable grounds for taking, defending, prosecuting or being a party to the proceedings.

(4) For the purpose of this section, legal aid shall consist of representation by a legal practitioner including assistance in preliminary or incidental matters to any proceedings or arriving at or giving effect to a compromise to avoid or to bring an end to any proceedings.

(5) Any lawyer assigned to a party under this section for his services to that party in relation to the proceeding shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund such fees as the Minister responsible for Justice may in consultation with the Chief Justice determine.

(6) The Minister responsible for Justice may after consultation with the Chief Justice, by legislative instrument make regulations for the purposes of giving full effect to the provisions of this section and the regulations shall prescribe-

(a) the conditions for a grant of legal aid, to which subsection (4) of this section applies;

(b) the extent of contribution to be made by a person granted legal aid under this section;

(c) the assessment of disposable capital, income or property for the purposes of contributions towards legal aid; and

(d) the grant of assistance to a person in respect of legal advice, the right to and nature of legal advice for the purposes of this section.