PART VI
EVIDENCE, ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES, AMENDMENT, JUDGMENTS, Etc.
38. Warrant for apprehension of witness not attending on recognizance.
If any person who has been bound by recognizance to attend as a witness, whether for the prosecution or for the defence, at the trial of any case does not attend the Court on the day appointed for the trial of such case, and no reasonable excuse is offered for such nonattendance, the Court may issue a warrant to apprehend such person, and to bring him, at a time to be mentioned in the warrant, before the Court in order to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution or of the defence, as the case
may be.
39. Warrant for apprehension of witness disobeying summons.
If any person to whom any writ of subpoena is directed does not attend the Court at the time and place mentioned therein, and no reasonable excuse is offered for such non-attendance, then, after proof upon oath, to the satisfaction of the Court, that the writ was duly served, or that the person to whom the writ is directed wilfully avoids service, the Court, being satisfied, by proof upon oath, that he is likely to give material evidence, may issue a warrant to apprehend such person, and to bring him, at a time to be mentioned in the warrant, before the Court in order to give evidence on behalf of the prosecution or of the defence, as the case may be.
40. Fine for non-attendance of witness.
Every person who makes default in attending as a witness in either of the cases mentioned in the two last preceding sections shall be liable, on the summary order of the Court, to a fine of one thousand dollars, and in default of payment, to imprisonment for two months.
41. Warrant for apprehension of witness in first instance.
41. (1) If a Judge is satisfied, by proof upon oath, that any person likely to give material evidence either for the prosecution or for the defence, on the trial of any case, will not attend to give evidence, without being compelled to do so, he may order that, instead of a subpoena being issued, a warrant shall be issued in the first instance for the apprehension of such person.
(2) Every person arrested under any such warrant shall, if the trial of the case for which his evidence is required is appointed for a time which is more than twenty-four hours after the arrest, be taken before a Judge, and the Judge may, on his furnishing security by recognizance, to the satisfaction of the Judge, for his appearance at such trial, order him to be released from custody, or shall, on his failing to furnish such security, order him to be detained for production at such trial.
42. Mode of dealing with witness refusing to be sworn etc.
(1) If any person attending the Court as a witness, either on his recognizance, or in obedience to a subpoena, or by virtue of a warrant, or being present in Court and being verbally required by the Court to give evidence in any case -
(a) refuses to be sworn as a witness, or
(b) having been sworn, refuses to answer any question put to him by or with the sanction of the Court, or
(c) refuses or neglects to produce any document which he is required by the Court to produce, without in any such case offering any sufficient excuse for such refusal or neglect, the Court may, if it thinks fit, adjourn or postpone the trial of the case for any period not exceeding eight days, and may in the meantime, by warrant, commit such person to prison.
(2) If such person, upon being brought before the Court at or before such adjourned or postponed trial, again refuses to do what is so required of him, the Court may, if it thinks fit, again adjourn or postpone the trial of the case, and commit him in like manner, and so again from time to time until such person consents to do what is so required of him.
(3) Every such person who is guilty of such refusal or neglect shall also be liable, on the summary order of the Court, either in addition to or in lieu of such punishment, to a fine of one thousand dollars, and in default of payment, to imprisonment for two months.
(4) Nothing herein contained shall affect the liability of any such person to any other punishment or proceeding for refusing or neglecting to do what is so required of him, or shall prevent the Court from disposing of the case in the meantime, according to any other sufficient evidence produced before it.
43. Non-attendance of witness at adjourned trial.
Every witness who is present when the trial or further trial of a case is adjourned, or who has been duly notified of the time to which such trial or further trial is so adjourned, shall be bound to attend at such time, and in default of so doing, may be dealt with in the same manner as if he had failed to attend before the Court in obedience to a subpoena to attend and give evidence.
44. Any person confined in any prison may be conveyed to the place at which such prisoner is required.
When the attendance of any person, confined in any prison, is required in any Court of Criminal jurisdiction, in any case cognizable therein by indictment, the Court before whom such prisoner is required to attend, or any Judge of such Court, or of any superior Court, may, before, or during, any such term, or sitting, at which the attendance of such person is required, make an order upon the keeper, or other person, having the custody of such prisoner, to deliver such prisoner to the person named in such order to receive him, and such person shall, at the time prescribed in such order, convey such prisoner to the place at which such person is required to attend, there to receive and obey
such further order as to the said Court may seem meet.
45. Crime or interest does not incapacitate a witness.
No person offered as a witness shall, by reason of any alleged incapacity from crime or interest, be excluded incapacitate from giving evidence on the trial of any criminal case, or in any proceeding relating, or incidental, to such case.
46. Persons so offered as witnesses are compellable to give evidence.
Every person, so offered as a witness, shall be admitted and be compelled to give evidence on oath, or witnesses are solemn affirmation where an affirmation is receivable, notwithstanding that such person has, or may have, an interest in the matter in question, or in the event of the trial in whch he is offered as a witness, or of any proceeding relating, or incidental, to such case, and notwithstanding that such person, so offered as a witness, has been convicted of a crime or offence.
47. Laws of England in relation to procedure to be in force, unless otherwise provided for.
All other matters of procedure, not herein nor in any other Act expressly provided for, shall be regulated, procedure be as to the admission thereof, by the law of England, and the practise of the Superior of criminal law in England.
Assistance of States in the attendance and testimony of witnesses and production of documents
EDIT.