Section 6

Where in any proceeding before a court in Singapore for an offence committed on board an aircraft the testimony of any person is required and the court is satisfied that the person in question cannot be found in Singapore, there shall be admissible in evidence before that court any deposition relating to the subject matter of that proceeding previously made on oath by that person —

Any such deposition shall be authenticated by the signature of the District Judge, Magistrate, consular officer or judicial officer before whom it was made who shall certify that the person charged with the offence was present or absent at the taking of the deposition.

It is not necessary in any proceeding to prove the signature or official character of the person appearing so to have authenticated any such deposition or to have given such certificate, and such certificate is, unless the contrary is proved, sufficient evidence in any proceeding that the person charged with the offence was present or absent (as the case may be) at the making of the deposition.

If a complaint is made to a consular officer that any offence has been committed on a Singapore-controlled aircraft while in flight elsewhere than in or over Singapore, that officer may inquire into the case upon oath.

In this section —

“deposition” includes any affidavit, affirmation or statement made upon oath; and

“oath” includes an affirmation or declaration in the case of persons allowed by law to affirm or declare instead of swearing,

and nothing in this section affects the admission as evidence of any deposition which is admissible in evidence apart from this section.