Information Relating to the Commission of an Offence to Be Given Orally or in Writing

Section 9 of the Criminal Procedure Act [Cap. 20 R.E. 2022], outlines the procedure for reporting the commission of an offence. Information about an offence may be provided either orally or in writing to a police officer or another authorized person within the locality. According to this section, any information given must be recorded in the manner specified under Section 10(3) of the Act.

Furthermore, if legal proceedings are initiated in a magistrate’s court based on the information provided, and the person providing the information is named as a witness, a copy of the information and any statement made by them under Section 10(3) must be provided to the accused without delay.

This ensures transparency and the right to fair trial, as the accused is given access to the information that could be used against them in court. Additionally, any information given under this section can be used as evidence in accordance with the applicable laws governing evidence in legal proceedings.