Singapore legislation
Section 10A
Section 10A
Inspectors
(1)
The Minister may appoint one or more public officers as inspectors to investigate the commission of an offence under this Part.
(2)
For the purposes of an investigation under subsection (1) —
an inspector may —
require any person to furnish any information that is within the person’s knowledge that the inspector believes on reasonable grounds to be connected with any suspected contravention of this Part;
require any person to produce any book, document, paper or other record, or other article, which may be related to the subject matter of the investigation for inspection by the inspector and for making copies thereof; and
examine orally any person supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances relevant to the carrying out of the provisions of this Part; and
an inspector may, without warrant, enter, inspect and search any premises that the inspector has reason to suspect are being used, for or in connection with any purpose that is in contravention of this Part, and may —
inspect and make copies of and take extracts from, or require the person having the management or control of the premises to provide copies of or extracts from, any book, document, record or electronic material which the inspector reasonably believes to be the subject matter of, or to be connected with, an investigation under subsection (1);
take such photographs or video recordings as the inspector thinks necessary to record the premises or part thereof, including any apparatus, appliance, equipment, instrument, article, book, document, record or thing found on the premises; and
seize and remove from the premises any book, record, document, apparatus, equipment, instrument, material or thing which the inspector reasonably believes to be the subject matter of, or to be connected with, an investigation under subsection (1).
(3)
Any information given by any person under subsection (2)(a)(i) or (iii) must —
be reduced to a statement in writing and read over to the person; and
after correction, be signed by the person.
(4)
Any person who, without lawful excuse —
refuses to answer any question put to the person by an inspector or gives a false answer to such question;
refuses or fails to comply with any requirement of the inspector under subsection (2); or
wilfully obstructs an inspector in the exercise of the inspector’s authority under subsection (2),shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.