Singapore legislation
Clause 273
Clause 273
Provisions supplementary to section 270 or 272
(1)
Where in criminal proceedings a statement in a document is admissible in evidence under section 270 or 272, it may be proved by the production of that document or (whether or not that document is still in existence) by the production of a copy of that document, or of the material part of it, authenticated in a manner approved by the court.
(2)
The court may, in deciding whether a statement is admissible in evidence under section 270 or 272, draw any reasonable inference from the circumstances in which the statement was made or otherwise came into being or from any other circumstances, including, in the case of a statement in a document, the form and contents of that document.
(3)
In estimating any weight to be attached to a statement admissible in evidence under section 270 or 272, the court must consider all the circumstances from which it might reasonably infer the accuracy of the statement, and in particular —
in the case of a statement falling within section 270(1), whether the statement was made at the same time as the stated facts occurred or existed, and whether the maker of the statement had any incentive to conceal or misrepresent the facts; and
in the case of a statement falling within section 272, whether the person who originally supplied the information from which the record containing the statement was compiled did so at the same time as the facts dealt with in that information occurred or existed, and whether that person, or any person concerned with compiling or keeping the record containing the statement, had any incentive to conceal or misrepresent the facts.
(4)
For the purpose of any rule of law or practice that requires evidence to be corroborated or that regulates the manner in which uncorroborated evidence is to be treated —
a statement that is admissible in evidence under section 270 is not capable of corroborating evidence given by the maker of the statement; and
a statement that is admissible in evidence under section 272 is not capable of corroborating evidence given by the person who originally supplied the information for the record containing the statement.