16. Evidence for purposes of section 15

For the purposes of any proceedings under or arising out of any provision of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972 as applied by section 15 —

a document purporting to be a certificate under the hand of the Minister, stating that a request has been made for the exercise of the powers mentioned in section 15(2), and indicating the effect of the request, shall be sufficient evidence, unless the contrary is proved, that the request has been made and of its effect; and

a document purporting to be a certificate under the hand of the officer commanding a unit or detachment of any of the forces of a country to which this section applies, stating that a person named and described in the document was at the date of the certificate a deserter, or absentee without leave, from those forces shall be sufficient evidence, unless the contrary is proved, of the facts appearing from the document to be so certified.