PART IV - PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
99 Power of court to order prisoner to be brought before it
(1) Where any person for whose appearance or arrest a court is empowered to issue a summons or warrant is confined in any prison, the court may issue an order to the officer in charge of such prison requiring him to bring such prisoner in proper custody, at a time to be named in the order, before such court.
(2) The officer so in charge, on receipt of such order, shall act in accordance therewith, and shall provide for the safe custody of the prisoner during his absence from the prison for the purpose aforesaid.
PART IV - PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
101 Power to issue search warrant
Where it is proved on oath to a magistrate or a justice of the peace that in fact or according to reasonable suspicion anything upon, by or in respect of which an offence has been committed or anything which is necessary to the conduct of an investigation into any offence is in any building, ship, vehicle, box, receptacle or place, the magistrate or justice of the peace may by warrant (called a search warrant) authorise a police officer or other person therein named to search the building, ship, vehicle, box, receptacle or place (which shall be named or described in the warrant) for any such thing and, if anything searched for be found, or any other thing which there is reasonable cause to suspect to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained be found, to seize it and carry it before the court issuing the warrant or some other court to be dealt with according to law.
102 Execution of search warrants
Every search warrant may be issued on any day (including Sunday) and may be executed on any day (including Sunday) between the hours of sunrise and sunset, but the magistrate or justice of the peace may, by the warrant, in his discretion, authorise the police officer or other person to whom it is addressed to execute it at any hour.
103 Person in charge of closed place to allow ingress thereto and egress therefrom
(1) Whenever any building or other place liable to search is closed, any person residing in or being
in charge of such building or place shall, on demand of the police officer or other person executing the search warrant, and on production of the warrant, allow him free ingress thereto and egress therefrom and afford all reasonable facilities for a search therein.
(2) If ingress into or egress from such building or other place cannot be so obtained, the police officer or other person executing the search warrant may proceed in the manner prescribed by section 11 or 12.
(3) Where any person in or about such buildings or place is reasonably suspected of concealing
about his person any article for which search should be made, such person may be searched. If such person is a woman the provisions of section 16 shall be observed.
104 Detention of property seized
(1) When any such thing is seized and brought before a court, it may be detained until the conclusion of the case or the investigation, reasonable care being taken for its preservation.
(2) If any appeal is made, or if any person is committed for trial, the court may order it to be further detained for the purpose of the appeal or the trial.
(3) If no appeal is made, or if no person is committed for trial, the court shall direct such thing to be restored to the person from whom it was taken, unless the court sees fit or is authorised or required by law to dispose of it otherwise.
105 Provisions applicable to search warrants
The provisions of sections 89(1) and (3), 91 and 94 shall, so far as may be, apply to all search warrants issued under section 101.
PART IV - PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
127 Summons for witness
If it is made to appear on the statement of the complainant or of the defendant or otherwise that material evidence can be given or is in the possession of any person, it shall be lawful for a court having cognisance of any criminal cause or matter to issue a summons to such person requiring his attendance before such court or requiring him to bring and produce to such court for the purpose of evidence all documents and writings in his possession or power which may be specified or otherwise sufficiently described in the summons.
128 Warrant for witness who disobeys summons
If, without sufficient excuse, a witness does not appear in obedience to the summons, the court, on proof of the proper service of the summons a reasonable time before, may issue a warrant to bring him before the court at such time and place as shall be therein specified.
129 Warrant for witness in first instance
If the court is satisfied by evidence on oath that such person will not attend unless compelled to do so, it may at once issue a warrant for the arrest and production of the witness before the court at a time and place to be therein specified.
130 Mode of dealing with witness arrested under warrant
When any witness is arrested under a warrant the court may, on his furnishing security by
recognisance to the satisfaction of the court for his appearance at the hearing of the case, 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 hearing.
131 Power of court to order prisoner to be brought up for examination
(1) Any court desirous of examining as a witness, in any case pending before it, any person confined in any prison may issue an order to the officer in charge of such prison requiring him to bring such prisoner in proper custody, at a time to be named in the order, before the court for examination.
(2) The officer so in charge, on receipt of such order, shall act in accordance therewith and shall provide for the safe custody of the prisoner during his absence from the prison for the purpose aforesaid.
132 Penalty for non-attendance of witness
(1) Any person summoned to attend as a witness who, without lawful excuse, fails to attend as required by the summons, or who, having attended, departs without having obtained the permission of the court, or fails to attend after adjournment of the court after being ordered to attend, shall be liable by order of the court to a fine not exceeding $40.
(2) Such fine may be levied by attachment and sale of any movable property belonging to such witness within the local limits of the jurisdiction of such court.
(3) In default of recovery of the fine by attachment and sale the witness may, by order of the court, be imprisoned as a civil prisoner for a term of 15 days unless such fine is paid before the end of the said term.
(4) For good cause shown, the Senior Magistrate or the High Court may remit or
reduce any fine imposed under this section by a magistrate’s court.
133 Power to summon material witness, or examine person present
Any court may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Code, summon or call
any person as a witness, or examine any person in attendance though not summoned as a witness, or recall and re-examine any person already examined, and the court shall summon and examine or recall and re-examine any such person if his evidence appears to it essential to the just decision of the case:
Provided that the prosecutor or the advocate of the prosecution or the defendant or his advocate shall have the right to cross-examine any such person, and the court shall adjourn the case for such time (if any) as it thinks necessary to enable such cross-examination to be adequately prepared, if, in its opinion, either party may be prejudiced by the calling of any such person as a witness.
134 Evidence to be given on oath
Every witness in any criminal cause of matter shall be examined upon oath or affirmation, and the court before which any witness shall appear shall have full power and authority to administer the usual oath or affirmation:
Provided that the court may at any time, if it thinks it just and expedient (for reasons to be recorded in the proceedings), take without oath the evidence of any person declaring that the taking of any oath whatever is according to his religious belief unlawful, or who by reason of immature age or want of religious belief ought, not, in the opinion of the court, to be admitted to give evidence on oath; the fact of evidence having been so taken being also recorded in the proceedings.
135 Refractory witness
(1) Whenever any person, appearing either in obedience to a summons or by virtue of a warrant, or being present in court and being verbally required by the court to give evidence —
(a) refuses to be sworn; or
(b) having been sworn, refuses to answer any question put to him; or
(c) refuses or neglects to produce any document or thing which he is required to produce; or
(d) refuses to sign his deposition,
without in any such case offering any sufficient excuse for such refusal or neglect, the court may adjourn the case for any period not exceeding 8 days, and may in the meantime commit such person to prison, unless he sooner consents to do what is required of him.
(2) If such person, upon being brought before the court at or before such adjourned hearing, again refuses to do what is required of him, the court may, if it sees fit, again adjourn the case and commit him for the like period, and so again from time to time until such person consents to do what is so required of him.
(3) 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 taken before it.
136 Cases when wife or husband may be called without the consent of the accused
In any inquiry or trial the wife or husband of the person charged shall be a competent witness for the prosecution or defence without the consent of such person —
(a) in any case where the wife or husband of a person charged may, under any law in force for the time being, be called as a witness without the consent of such person;
(b) in any case where a person is charged with an offence under Part XVI or section 163 of the Penal Code;
(c) in any case where such person is charged in respect of an act or omission affecting the person or property of the wife or husband of such person or the children of either of them.
137 Issue of commission for examination of witness
(1) Whenever in the course of any proceeding under this Code the High Court or a magistrate is satisfied that the examination of a witness is necessary for the ends of justice, and that the attendance of such witness cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable, the High Court or magistrate may with the consent of the parties issue a commission to any magistrate, within the local limits of whose jurisdiction such witness resides, to take the evidence of such witness.
(2) The magistrate to whom the commission is issued shall proceed to the place where the witness is or shall summon the witness before him, and shall take down his evidence in the same manner, and may for this purpose exercise the same powers, as in the case of a trial.
138 Parties may examine witnesses
(1) The parties to any proceeding under this Code in which a commission is issued may respectively forward any interrogatories in writing which the court or magistrate directing the commission may think relevant to the issue, and the magistrate to whom the commission is directed shall examine the witness upon such interrogatories.
(2) Any such party may appear before such magistrate by advocate, or, if not in custody, in person, and may examine, cross-examine, and re-examine (as the case may be) the said witness.
139 Return of commission
(1) After any commission issued under section 137 has been duly executed it shall be returned, together with the deposition of the witness examined thereunder, to the High Court or to the magistrate (as the case may be), and the commission, the return thereto, and the deposition shall be open at all reasonable times to inspection of the parties, and may, subject to all just exceptions, be read in evidence in the case by either party, and shall form part of the record.
(2) Any deposition so taken may also be received in evidence at any subsequent stage of the case before another court.
140 Adjournment of inquiry or trial
In every case in which a commission is issued under section 137 the proceedings may be adjourned for a specified time reasonably sufficient for the execution and return of the commission.
141 Competency of accused and husband or wife as witnesses in criminal cases
Every person charged with an offence and the wife or husband, as the case may be, of the person so charged shall be a competent witness for the defence at every stage of the proceedings, whether the person so charged is charged solely or jointly with any other person:
Provided —
(a) a person so charged shall not be called as a witness in pursuance of this section except upon his own application;
(b) the failure of any person charged with an offence, or of the wife or husband, as the case may be, of the person so charged, to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any comment by the prosecution;
(c) the wife or husband of the person charged shall not, save as hereinbefore mentioned, be called as a witness except upon the application of the person so charged;
(d) nothing in this section shall make a husband compellable to disclose any communication made to him by his wife during the marriage, or a wife compellable to disclose any communication made to her by her husband during the marriage;
(e) a person charged and being a witness in pursuance of this section may be asked any question in cross-examination notwithstanding that it would tend to criminate him as to the offence charged;
(f) a person charged and called as a witness in pursuance of this section
shall not be asked, and if asked shall not be required to answer, any question tending to show that he has committed or been convicted of or been charged with any offence other than that wherewith he is then charged, or is of bad character, unless —
(i) the proof that he has committed or been convicted of such other offence is admissible evidence to show that he is guilty of the offence wherewith he is then charged; or
(ii) he has personally or by his advocate asked questions of the witness for the prosecution with a view to establishing his own good character, or has given evidence of his own good character, or the nature or conduct of the defence is such as to involve imputations on the character of the complainant or the witnesses for the prosecution; or
(iii) he has given evidence against any other person charged with the same offence;
(g) every person called as a witness in pursuance of this section shall, unless otherwise ordered by the court, give his evidence from the witness box or other place from which the other witnesses have given their evidence; and
(h) nothing in this section shall affect the provisions of section 213 or any right of the person charged to make a statement without being sworn.
142 Procedure where person charged is the only witness called
Where the only witness to the facts of the case called by the defence is the person charged, he shall be called as a witness immediately after the close of the evidence for the prosecution.
143 Right of reply
In cases where the right of reply depends upon the question whether evidence has been called for the defence, the fact that the person charged has been called as a witness shall not of itself confer on the prosecution the right of reply.
PART VII - PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE COMMITTAL OF ACCUSED PERSONS FOR TRIAL BEFORE THE HIGH COURT
213 Provisions as to taking statement or evidence of accused person
(1) If, after consideration of the statements of witnesses tendered to it in accordance with the provisions of section 209 (1) (b) or the examination of witnesses called on behalf of the prosecution in accordance with the provisions of section 210 (1) as the case may be, the court considers that such statements disclose, or on the evidence as it stands there are sufficient grounds for committing the accused for trial, the magistrate shall satisfy himself that the accused understands the charge and shall ask the accused whether he wishes to make a statement in his defence or not and, if he wishes to make a statement, whether he wishes to make it on oath, or not; and the magistrate shall also explain to the accused that he is not bound to make a statement and that his statement, if he makes one, will be part of the evidence at the trial.
(2) Everything which the accused person says, either by way of statement or evidence, shall be recorded in full and shall be shown or read over to him, and he shall be at liberty to explain or add to anything contained in the record thereof.
(3) When the whole is made conformable to what he declares is the truth, the record thereof shall be attested by the magistrate, who shall certify that such statement or evidence was taken in his presence and hearing and contains accurately the whole statement made, or evidence given, as the case may be, by the accused person who shall sign or attest by his mark such record; and if he refuses, the court shall add a note of his refusal, and the record may be used as if he had signed or attested it.
1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:
(a) The identification and whereabouts of persons or the location of items;
(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;
(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;
(d) The service of documents, including judicial documents;
(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court;
(f) The temporary transfer of persons as provided in paragraph 7;
(g) The examination of places or sites, including the exhumation and examination of grave sites;
(h) The execution of searches and seizures;
(i) The provision of records and documents, including official records and documents;
(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;
(k) The identification, tracing and freezing or seizure of proceeds, property and assets and instrumentalities of crimes for the purpose of eventual forfeiture, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties; and
(l) Any other type of assistance which is not prohibited by the law of the requested State, with a view to facilitating the investigation and prosecution of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court.
2. The Court shall have the authority to provide an assurance to a witness or an expert appearing before the Court that he or she will not be prosecuted, detained or subjected to any restriction of personal freedom by the Court in respect of any act or omission that preceded the departure of that person from the requested State.
3. Where execution of a particular measure of assistance detailed in a request presented under paragraph 1, is prohibited in the requested State on the basis of an existing fundamental legal principle of general application, the requested State shall promptly consult with the Court to try to resolve the matter. In the consultations, consideration should be given to whether the assistance can be rendered in another manner or subject to conditions. If after consultations the matter cannot be resolved, the Court shall modify the request as necessary.
4. In accordance with article 72, a State Party may deny a request for assistance, in whole or in part, only if the request concerns the production of any documents or disclosure of evidence which relates to its national security.
5. Before denying a request for assistance under paragraph 1 (l), the requested State shall consider whether the assistance can be provided subject to specified conditions, or whether the assistance can be provided at a later date or in an alternative manner, provided that if the Court or the Prosecutor accepts the assistance subject to conditions, the Court or the Prosecutor shall abide by them.
6. If a request for assistance is denied, the requested State Party shall promptly inform the Court or the Prosecutor of the reasons for such denial.
(a) The Court may request the temporary transfer of a person in custody for purposes of identification or for obtaining testimony or other assistance. The person may be transferred if the following conditions are fulfilled:
(i) The person freely gives his or her informed consent to the transfer; and
(ii) The requested State agrees to the transfer, subject to such conditions as that State and the Court may agree.
(b) The person being transferred shall remain in custody. When the purposes of the transfer have been fulfilled, the Court shall return the person without delay to the requested State.
(a) The Court shall ensure the confidentiality of documents and information, except as required for the investigation and proceedings described in the request.
(b) The requested State may, when necessary, transmit documents or information to the Prosecutor on a confidential basis. The Prosecutor may then use them solely for the purpose of generating new evidence.
(c) The requested State may, on its own motion or at the request of the Prosecutor, subsequently consent to the disclosure of such documents or information. They may then be used as evidence pursuant to the provisions of Parts 5 and 6 and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
(i) In the event that a State Party receives competing requests, other than for surrender or extradition, from the Court and from another State pursuant to an international obligation, the State Party shall endeavour, in consultation with the Court and the other State, to meet both requests, if necessary by postponing or attaching conditions to one or the other request.
(ii) Failing that, competing requests shall be resolved in accordance with the principles established in article 90.
(b) Where, however, the request from the Court concerns information, property or persons which are subject to the control of a third State or an international organization by virtue of an international agreement, the requested States shall so inform the Court and the Court shall direct its request to the third State or international organization.
(a) The Court may, upon request, cooperate with and provide assistance to a State Party conducting an investigation into or trial in respect of conduct which constitutes a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court or which constitutes a serious crime under the national law of the requesting State.
(b)
(i) The assistance provided under subparagraph (a) shall include, inter alia:
a. The transmission of statements, documents or other types of evidence obtained in the course of an investigation or a trial conducted by the Court; and
b. The questioning of any person detained by order of the Court;
(ii) In the case of assistance under subparagraph (b) (i) a:
a. If the documents or other types of evidence have been obtained with the assistance of a State, such transmission shall require the consent of that State;
b. If the statements, documents or other types of evidence have been provided by a witness or expert, such transmission shall be subject to the provisions of article 68.
(c) The Court may, under the conditions set out in this paragraph, grant a request for assistance under this paragraph from a State which is not a Party to this Statute.
1. A request for other forms of assistance referred to in article 93 shall be made in writing. In urgent cases, a request may be made by any medium capable of delivering a written record, provided that the request shall be confirmed through the channel provided for in article 87, paragraph 1 (a).
2. The request shall, as applicable, contain or be supported by the following:
(a) A concise statement of the purpose of the request and the assistance sought, including the legal basis and the grounds for the request;
(b) As much detailed information as possible about the location or identification of any person or place that must be found or identified in order for the assistance sought to be provided;
(c) A concise statement of the essential facts underlying the request;
(d) The reasons for and details of any procedure or requirement to be followed;
(e) Such information as may be required under the law of the requested State in order to execute the request; and
(f) Any other information relevant in order for the assistance sought to be provided.
3. Upon the request of the Court, a State Party shall consult with the Court, either generally or with respect to a specific matter, regarding any requirements under its national law that may apply under paragraph 2 (e). During the consultations, the State Party shall advise the Court of the specific requirements of its national law.
4. The provisions of this article shall, where applicable, also apply in respect of a request for assistance made to the Court.