158. Reference of point of law to Military Court of Appeal in case of acquittal by subordinate military court

When any person has been acquitted in a trial before a subordinate military court and the Director, Legal Services of the Singapore Armed Forces has, within one month from the date of the acquittal or such time as the Military Court of Appeal may permit, signed and filed with the registrar of the Court a certificate that the determination of the trial involved a question of law which it is desirable to have determined by the Military Court of Appeal, the Court is to review the case or such part of it as may be necessary and deliver a declaratory judgment thereon.

A declaratory judgment of the Military Court of Appeal under subsection (1) does not operate to reverse an order of acquittal, but that judgment is then binding upon all other subordinate military courts in the same manner as an ordinary judgment of the Military Court of Appeal.

Only the Director, Legal Services of the Singapore Armed Forces may exercise the powers conferred by this section.