What is an investigation and laying a charge?
When a crime is reported to the police, they do an investigation to determine if there is enough evidence to be able to charge any person with the offence. Once a criminal charge is laid at the court by the police, the person who is accused of the crime is referred to as the accused or the defendant. The person who reported the crime is referred to as the complainant. Sometimes the complainant is not the same as the victim who suffered injury or harm as a result of the crime. Although individual citizens have the right to lay a criminal charge, this is unusual as s/he would be personally responsible for collecting evidence and presenting this private prosecution case in court.
