Print Options

(1) Subject to any enactment or rule of law to the contrary, a court shall require any witness to be examined on oath.

(2) The court may at any time if it thinks just and expedient for reasons to be recorded in the proceedings, take without oath the evidence of any person who declares that the taking of any oath whatsoever 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.

(3) The fact that the evidence has been taken without oath shall be recorded in the proceedings and the evidence taken shall be treated as if it had been taken on oath.

(4) Whenever a person, appears in court to give evidence and-

(a) refuses to be sworn; or

(b) having been sworn, refuses without lawful excuse to answer a question put to him; or

(c) refuses or neglects to produce any document or thing which he is required to produce; or

(d) when lawfully required to do so refuses to sign his deposition, without offering any lawful or sufficient excuse for his refusal or neglect, that person shall, independently of any other liability, be guilty of contempt of court and the court before which he commits the contempt may deal with him summarily and sentence him as if he had been convicted of a misdemeanour.