Singapore legislation
Section 171
Section 171
Power to summon and examine persons in certain circumstances
(1)
The Director‑General may summon any person who he or she has reason to believe can give any information —
regarding any woman or girl in respect of whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe that an offence under this Part is or may be committed or who he or she has reasonable cause to believe is or may be liable to be dealt with under section 156, 159 or 160; or
regarding any place which he or she has reasonable cause to believe is being used as a brothel, a place of assignation or for the purpose of prostitution.
(2)
The person so summoned must attend at the time and place specified in the summons and must produce all documents in the person’s custody, possession or control relating to the woman or girl or place (as the case may be) and must answer truthfully all questions which the Director‑General may put to the person respecting the woman or girl or place or in any way relating to the matter being inquired into, and where the inquiry relates to any woman or girl, the person must also, if so required by the Director‑General, produce the woman or girl, unless the person is able to satisfy the Director‑General that he or she is unable to do so.
(3)
The Director‑General is deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of the Penal Code 1871 and may administer oaths to and examine on oath any person summoned before him or her for the purposes of this Part.
(4)
Any person summoned who fails to attend at the time and place specified in the summons or to do any of the other acts referred to in subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
(5)
The Director‑General is not compellable in any judicial proceedings to answer any questions as to the grounds of his or her decision or belief in any case dealt with by him or her under this Part or as to anything which came to his or her knowledge in any inquiry made by him or her as Director‑General.
(6)
The Director‑General may, during or after such inquiry as is referred to in subsection (2), arrest or cause to be arrested any person whom the Director‑General has reasonable cause to believe to be liable to prosecution for any offence under this Part committed in respect of the woman or girl or place, and may seize and detain any article, book, document or account which the Director‑General may have reason to believe to relate to such offence.