Clause 56

The owner of a public service vehicle shall, unless he satisfies the court that he took every reasonable precaution to avoid the commission thereof, be responsible for all offences committed under this Ordinance or any rules made thereunder in connection with the use of such vehicle and may in the discretion of the Registrar be prosecuted for such offence either in addition to or instead of the driver or conductor, as the case may be.

When the driver or conductor of any public service vehicle is reasonably believed to be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance or any rules made thereunder, the owner of such vehicle and any other person who was or should have been in charge of the vehicle at or about the relevant time, shall give to the Registrar or to any police officer not below the rank of Inspector such information as the Registrar or such police officer may require of him concerning the identity and address of the person believed to be guilty of the offence, and if he fails to do so within seven days of the date on which such information was required of him, unless he shows to the satisfaction of the court that he did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained the information required, he shall be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.

Notwithstanding anything contained in any other written law, any information given under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section by any person charged with any offence under this Ordinance or any rules made thereunder may be used as evidence at the hearing of the charge.