Singapore legislation
Clause 7
Clause 7
Amendment of section 132
Section 132 of the Evidence Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after subsection (3) thereof the following new subsections: —“(4) Where the accused gives evidence in any criminal proceedings —
he shall not be entitled to refuse to answer a question or produce a document or thing on the ground that to do so would tend to prove the commission by him of the offence charged; and
except as regards any question, document or thing which in the opinion of the court is relevant solely or mainly to the accused’s credibility as a witness (not being, in the case of a question, one asked by virtue of section 54), he shall not be entitled to refuse to answer a question or produce a document or thing on the ground that to do so would —
tend to expose him to proceedings for some other offence or for the recovery of a penalty; or
tend to expose his wife or husband to proceedings for an offence or for the recovery of a penalty.(5) Where a person being the wife or husband of the accused gives evidence in any criminal proceedings, that person —
shall not be entitled to refuse to answer a question or produce a document or thing on the ground that to do so would tend to prove the commission by the accused of the offence charged; and
except as regards any question, document or thing which in the opinion of the court is relevant solely or mainly to that person’s credibility as a witness, shall not be entitled to refuse to answer a question or produce a document or thing on the ground that to do so would tend to expose her or him to proceedings as mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (b) of subsection (4).(6) Any reference in this section to proceedings for the recovery of a penalty includes a reference to civil proceedings therefor.”.