103.— (1) Where—

(a) criminal proceedings have been instituted, or a criminal investigation is taking place, in a designated state, and

(b) a competent authority in that state makes a request to the Minister, in accordance with the relevant international instrument, for the taking of provisional measures within the meaning of that instrument,

the Minister may cause an application to be made to the High Court for the grant of the requested measures.

(2) On such an application the High Court may grant provisional, including protective, measures of any kind that the Court has power to grant in proceedings that, apart from this section, are within its jurisdiction.

(3) The measures may be granted for such period, and subject to such conditions or limitations, as the Court, having had regard to the provisions of the relevant international instrument, may specify.

(4) The Court may refuse to grant the measures sought if, in its opinion, the fact that it has not jurisdiction, apart from this section, in relation to the subject matter of the proceedings concerned makes it inexpedient for it to grant such measures.