Singapore legislation
Clause 232
Clause 232
Public Prosecutor may decline further to prosecute at any stage of trial
(1)
At any stage of any proceedings in court —
before an accused is acquitted of any charge; or
where an accused has been convicted of any charge but before he is sentenced for that charge,the Public Prosecutor may, if he thinks fit, inform the court that he will not further prosecute the accused upon the charge, and the proceedings on the charge against the accused must then be stayed and he shall be discharged from and of the same.
(2)
Except in cases referred to in section 147, a discharge under subsection (1) shall not amount to an acquittal unless the court so directs.
(3)
Where an accused had previously been granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by a Magistrate’s Court or District Court in relation to an offence triable in the Subordinate Courts, any Magistrate’s Court or District Court, as the case may be, may grant the accused a discharge amounting to an acquittal on the application of the Public Prosecutor.
(4)
Where an accused had previously been granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by a Magistrate’s Court or District Court in relation to an offence triable in the High Court, any Magistrate’s Court or District Court, as the case may be, may grant the accused a discharge on the application of the Public Prosecutor.
(5)
A discharge under subsection (4) shall have the effect of an acquittal.
(6)
An application under subsection (3) or (4) may be granted by the court notwithstanding the absence of the accused.