Singapore legislation
Clause 40
Clause 40
New sections 204A and 204B
The Penal Code is amended by inserting, immediately after section 204, the following sections:“Obstructing, preventing, perverting or defeating course of justice204A. Whoever intentionally obstructs, prevents, perverts or defeats the course of justice shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both. Explanation.––A mere warning to a witness that he may be prosecuted for perjury if he gives false evidence is insufficient to constitute an offence.Bribery of witnesses204B.—
Whoever —
gives, confers, or procures, promises or offers to give, confer, or procure or attempts to procure, any gratification to, upon, or for any person, upon any agreement or understanding that any person who is aware of any offence (being an offence which any person is legally bound to give information respecting that offence) will abstain from reporting that offence to the police or any agency charged by law with the duty of investigating offences;
gives, confers, or procures, promises or offers to give, confer, or procure or attempts to procure, any gratification to, upon, or for any person, upon any agreement or understanding that any person called or to be called as a witness in any judicial proceeding will give false testimony or withhold true testimony, or will abstain from giving evidence;
attempts by any means to induce a person called or to be called as a witness in any judicial proceeding to give false testimony, or to withhold true testimony or to abstain from giving evidence; or
asks, receives, or obtains, or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain, any property or benefit of any kind for himself, or any other person, upon any agreement or understanding that any person shall as a witness in any judicial proceeding give false testimony or withhold true testimony or will abstain from giving evidence,shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both.(2) In this section, “judicial proceeding” means any proceeding in the course of which evidence is or may be legally taken.”.