Singapore legislation
Clause 95
Clause 95
Summoning and privilege of witnesses at a board of inquiry and misconduct of civilian thereat
(1)
Every person required to give evidence before a board of inquiry may be summoned or ordered to attend the proceedings of the board.
(2)
Every person attending in pursuance of such summons or order as a witness before any board shall, during his necessary attendance at such inquiry and in going to and returning from the same, have the same privilege from arrest as he would have if he were a witness before a civil court.
(3)
Where any person who is not subject to this Act —
on being duly summoned as a witness before a board of inquiry and after payment or tender of the reasonable expenses of his attendance, makes default in attending; or
being in attendance as a witness —
refuses to take an oath lawfully required by the board to be taken;
refuses to produce any document in his power or control lawfully required by the board to be produced by him; or
refuses to answer any question to which a board may lawfully require an answer,the chairman of the board may certify the offence of such person under his hand to a Magistrate’s Court and that Court may thereupon inquire into such alleged offence, and after examining any witnesses that may be produced against or on behalf of the person so accused, and after hearing any statement that may be offered in defence, if it seems just, punish such person in the like manner as if he had committed such offence in a proceeding in that Court.
(4)
Where a person not subject to this Act when examined on oath or on affirmation before a board of inquiry wilfully gives false evidence, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction before a competent court to be punished for the offence of giving false evidence in a judicial proceeding.
(5)
Where a person not subject to this Act is guilty of any contempt towards a board of inquiry, by using insulting or threatening language, or by causing any interruption or disturbance in its proceedings or by printing observations or using words calculated to influence the members of or witnesses before such board, or to bring such board into disrepute, the chairman may certify the offence of such person under his hand to a Magistrate’s Court and the Court may thereupon inquire into such alleged offence, and after hearing any witnesses that may be produced against or on behalf of the person so accused, and after hearing any statement that may be offered in defence, if it seems just, punish or take steps for the punishment of such person in the like manner as if he had been guilty of contempt of that Court.