201Inquiry on absence of member of the Armed Forces

1. Where any member of the Armed Forces has been absent without leave for a period of 21 days, a court of inquiry shall be assembled to inquire in the prescribed manner into the fact of that absence, and the deficiency (if any) in the arms, ammunition, equipment, or clothing of that member, or in any other service property issued to him for his use or entrusted to his care for the purposes of the Armed Forces.

2. If the court of inquiry is satisfied that the member absented himself without leave or other sufficient reason, the court shall make a declaration that the member is an absentee. Every such declaration shall specify the period of absence and the extent to which the arms, ammunition, or clothing of that member, or the other service property issued or entrusted to him, are deficient; and a record of the declaration in the prescribed form shall be signed by the commanding officer of the absent member in duplicate and shall then be filed with and form part of the service records.

3. If the absent member does not within 6 months after the date on which he absented himself surrender or is not apprehended within that period, that record shall, for the purposes of section 202, have the legal effect of a conviction by the Court Martial for desertion.