Singapore legislation
Clause 130
Clause 130
Penalty on purchasing from soldiers regimental necessaries, equipments, stores, etc., and for unlawful possession of military certificates, etc
(1)
Every person who —
buys, exchanges, takes in pawn, detains or receives from any person, on any pretence whatsoever;
solicits or entices any person to sell, exchange, pawn or give away; or
assists or acts for any person in selling, exchanging, pawning or making away with,any arms, ammunition, equipments, instruments, regimental necessaries or clothing issued for the use of officers or soldiers or any military decorations of an officer or soldier, or any furniture, bedding, blankets, sheets, utensils and stores in regimental charge, or any provisions or forage issued for the use of an officer or soldier or his horse, or of any horse employed in the service of the Singapore armed forces, shall, unless he proves either that he acted in ignorance of the same being such property as aforesaid, or that the same was sold by order or with the consent of the Army Board, or some competent military authority, or that the same was the personal property of an officer who had retired or ceased to be an officer, or of a soldier who had been discharged, or of the legal personal representatives of an officer or soldier who had died, be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, together with treble the value of any property of which such offender has become possessed by means of his offence, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2)
Where any such property is found in the possession or keeping of any person such person may be taken or summoned before a magistrate’s court, and if such court has reasonable ground to believe that the property so found was stolen, or was bought, exchanged, taken in pawn, obtained or received in contravention of this section, then if such person does not satisfy the court that he came by the property so found lawfully and without any contravention of this Act, he shall be liable on conviction to the same penalties as are prescribed in the case of a contravention of subsection (1).
(3)
A person found committing an offence against this section may be apprehended without warrant, and taken together with the property which is the subject of the offence, before a magistrate’s court and any person to whom any such property as above mentioned is offered to be sold, pawned or delivered, who has reasonable cause to believe that the same is offered in contravention of this section, may, and if he has the power shall, apprehend the person offering such property, and forthwith take him, together with such property, before a magistrate’s court.
(4)
A magistrate’s court, if satisfied on oath that there is reasonable cause to believe that any person has in his possession, or on his premises, any property on or with respect to which any offence has been committed, may issue a warrant to search for such property, as in the case of stolen goods; and any property found on such search shall be seized by the officer charged with the execution of such warrant, who shall bring the person in whose possession the property is found before the magistrate’s court, to be dealt with according to law.
(5)
For the purposes of this section, “property” shall be deemed to be in the possession or keeping of a person if he knowingly has it in the actual possession or keeping of any other person, or in any house, building, lodging, apartment, field or place, open or enclosed, whether occupied by himself or not and whether the property is so had for his own use or benefit, or for the use or benefit of another.
(6)
Every person who —
receives, detains or has in his possession any identity certificate, life certificate or other certificate or official document evidencing or issued in connection with the right of any person to a military pension, pay or reserve pay, or to any bounty, allowance, gratuity, relief, benefit or advantage granted in connection with military service, as a pledge or security for a debt, or with a view to obtaining payment from the person entitled thereto of a debt due either to himself or to any other person; or
without lawful authority or excuse (the proof whereof shall lie on the accused) has in his possession any such certificate or document, or any certificate of discharge or any other official document issued in connection with the mobilisation or demobilisation of the Singapore armed forces or any part thereof or any member thereof,shall be liable on conviction to the like penalty as for an offence under subsection (1), and any such certificate or other document shall be deemed to be property within the meaning of this section.