Singapore legislation
Regulation 22
Regulation 22
Conduct of inquiry
Subregulation 1
At the inquiry, the case against the registered person may be presented by the Council’s solicitor.
Subregulation 2
The Disciplinary Committee shall adopt the following procedure for holding its inquiry but may make such variations or modifications as it thinks fit in any particular case:
the charge or charges shall first be read out to the registered person;
the registered person or his counsel may object to any charge on point of law and, if any such objection is upheld, no further proceedings shall be taken on the charge to which the objection relates;
the Council’s solicitor shall present the facts on which the complaint is based, and adduce evidence of the facts alleged in the charge or charges;
the registered person or his counsel may adduce evidence to substantiate his defence;
both the Council’s solicitor and the registered person or his counsel may cross-examine witnesses of the other party after the evidence-in-chief has been completed and each party may re-examine their witnesses after the cross-examination;
at the close of his case, the registered person or his counsel may address the Disciplinary Committee; and
the Council’s solicitor will make his closing address.
Subregulation 3
Where, at any point in the proceedings, the Disciplinary Committee determines that the evidence brought forward is insufficient or there is no evidence to substantiate all or any of the charges, the Disciplinary Committee shall discontinue further proceedings on the charge or charges.
Subregulation 4
If the Disciplinary Committee is satisfied that the registered person or his counsel is hampering or attempting to hamper the progress of the inquiry, the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee shall administer a warning to the registered person and, where appropriate, his counsel.
Subregulation 5
If the Disciplinary Committee is satisfied that any such warning is being disregarded, the Disciplinary Committee shall make a written note of this and shall proceed with and complete the inquiry in any manner it thinks fit.