Singapore legislation
Section 38
Section 38
Evidence
(1)
Subject to subsection (3) —
a document or certificate purporting to be a report under the hand of the Director‑General or an authorised officer upon any matter or thing in connection with the administration or enforcement of this Act or with any investigation carried out under this Act is admissible as evidence in any proceedings under this Act and is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein; and
a certificate of an authorised examiner stating that he or she has analysed or examined any meat product or fish product and stating the result of his or her analysis or examination is admissible in evidence in any proceedings for an offence under this Act as prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the certificate and of the correctness of the result of the analysis or examination.
(2)
For the purposes of this section, a document purporting to be a certificate mentioned in subsection (1) on its production by the prosecution is, unless the contrary is proved, deemed to be such a certificate.
(3)
A certificate mentioned in subsection (1) is not to be received in evidence pursuant to that subsection unless the person charged has been given —
a copy of the certificate; and
notice of the intention of the prosecution to produce the certificate as evidence in the proceedings,at least 10 clear days before the commencement of the proceedings.
(4)
Where a certificate of the Director‑General, an authorised officer or an authorised examiner is admitted in evidence under subsection (1), the person charged may require the Director‑General, authorised officer or authorised examiner to be called as a witness for the prosecution and be cross-examined as if he or she had given evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.