Singapore legislation
Clause 38
Clause 38
Evidence
(1)
Subject to subsection (3) —
a document or certificate purporting to be report under the hand of the Director or a veterinary public health officer upon any matter or thing in connection with the administration or enforcement of this Act or with any investigation carried out under this Act shall be admissible as evidence in any proceedings under this Act and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein; and
a certificate of an authorised examiner stating that he has analysed or examined any meat product or fish product and stating the result of his analysis or examination shall be admissible in evidence in any proceedings for an offence under this Act as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein and of the correctness of the result of the analysis or examination.
(2)
For the purposes of this section, a document purporting to be a certificate referred to in subsection (1) on its production by the prosecution shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be such a certificate.
(3)
A certificate referred to in subsection (1) shall not be received in evidence in pursuance of that subsection unless the person charged has been given —
a copy of the certificate; and
notice of the intention of the prosecution to produce the certificate as evidence in the proceedings,not less than 10 clear days before the commencement of the proceedings.
(4)
Where a certificate of the Director, a veterinary public health officer or an authorised examiner is admitted in evidence under subsection (1), the person charged may require the Director, veterinary public health officer or authorised examiner to be called as a witness for the prosecution and be cross-examined as if he had given evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.