Singapore legislation
Clause 156
Clause 156
Power to summon and examine persons in certain circumstances
(1)
The Director may summon any person who he has reason to believe can give any information —
regarding any woman or girl in respect of whom he has reasonable cause to believe that an offence under this Part of this Ordinance is or may be committed or who he has reasonable cause to believe is or may be liable to be dealt with under section 141, 144 or 145 of this Ordinance; or
regarding any place which he has reasonable cause to believe is being used as a brothel, a place of assignation or for the purpose of prostitution.
(2)
The person so summoned shall attend at the hour and place specified in the summons and shall produce all documents in his custody, possession or control relating to such woman or girl or place, as the case may be, and shall answer truthfully all questions which the Director may put to him respecting any such woman or girl or place or in any way relating to the matter being inquired into, and where the inquiry relates to any woman or girl, such person shall also, if so required by the Director, produce such woman or girl, unless such person is able to satisfy the Director that he is unable to do so.
(3)
The Director shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of the Penal Code (Cap. 119) and may administer oaths to and examine on oath any person summoned before him for the purposes of this Part of this Ordinance.
(4)
Any person summoned who fails to attend at the hour and place specified in the summons or to do any of the other acts referred to in subsection (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to both such imprisonment and fine.
(5)
The Director shall not be compellable in any judicial proceeding to answer any question as to the grounds of his decision or belief in any case dealt with by him under this Part of this Ordinance or as to anything which came to his knowledge in any inquiry made by him as Director.
(6)
The Director may during or after such inquiry as is referred to in subsection (1) of this section arrest or cause to be arrested any person whom he has reasonable cause to believe to be liable to prosecution for any offence under this Part of this Ordinance committed in respect of such woman or girl or such place, and may seize and detain any articles or any books, documents or accounts which he may have reason to believe to relate to such offence.