MAY 05 '87 15:32 TIBCOOU) HK GOVT
(2) For the purposes of this section, malice shall be presumed in default of evidence showing that, prior to publication, the accused took reasonable measures to verify the truth of the
news.
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20.(1) Any person who commits an offence against this Ordinance shall be liable
(a)
on summary conviction to a fine of $2,000 and to imprisonment for 1 year; and
(b)
6.
upon conviction on indictment to a fine of $10,000 and to imprisonment for 3
years.
The old section 30 of the Public Order Ordinance (Chapter 245) was enacted in 1971 for the purpose of dealing with bomb hoaxes but was very widely drawn and covered much of the same ground as section 6 of Chapter 268. Section 30 provided as follows
Public mischief
" 30.(1) Any person who, whether orally or in writing or by any other means, publishes, or gives to any person, any information which he knows to be false and which tends to give rise to apprehension for the safety of any person or property shall be guilty of the offence of public mischief and shall be liable
(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of
$50,000 and to imprisonment for 5 years;
and
(b) on summary conviction, to a fine of
$20,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years.
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