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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987
SUSPECTS HAVE AT TIMES REQUESTED THAT DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF RAISING A LARGE BAIL AT SHORT NOTICE, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DEPOSIT PROPERTY AND, IN PARTICULAR, TITLE DEEDS, IN LIEU OF PART OF THE CASH BAIL.
HE PROPOSED TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THIS OPTION.
ANOTHER AMENDMENT WHICH AROSE FROM PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE. HE SAID, WAS TO ADMIT A CERTIFICATE SIGNED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO PROVE THE STATUS AND EMOLUMENTS OF A CROWN SERVANT OR FORMER CROWN SERVANT.
+THE CERTIFICATE AVOIDS THE PRODUCTION OF FILES AND WITNESSES FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, ON MATTERS WHICH ARE RARELY IN DISPUTE. THE CERTIFICATE EVIDENCE MAY OF COURSE BY REBUTTED BY THE DEFENDANT. +
OTHER AMENDMENTS INCLUDED NEW DEFINITIONS OF +PUBLIC SERVANT+ AND +MEMBER OF A PUBLIC BODY+, MINOR CHANGES TO REMOVE SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE EXISTING POWERS OF COMMISSION OFFICERS WHEN INVESTIGATING AN OFFENCE, AND RELATING TO THE ISSUE OF NOTICES AND ORDERS RESTRAINING DEALINGS IN THE PROPERTY OF SUSPECTS.
CHANGES PROPOSED TO ICAC POWERS OF ARREST
*****
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS SOUGHT IN THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 CONCERNED THE POWERS OF ARRESTS BY COMMISSION OFFICERS, THE ATTORNEY - GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, HE SAID, A SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE CONTAINED A LIST OF OFFENCES FOR WHICH A COMMISSION OFFICER MIGHT ARREST A PERSON IF THE OFFENCE WAS DISCLOSED IN THE COURSE OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO AN OFFENCE UNDER THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY ORDINANCE.
INCLUDED IN THE LIST WAS THE OFFENCE OF OBTAINING A PECUNIARY ADVANTAGE BY DECEPTION UNDER SECTION 18 OF THE THEFT ORDINANCE, HE SAID.
HE CONTINUED, HOWEVER, IN 1980, PART OF THE SECTION WAS REPEALED AND REPLACED BY THREE SEPARATE OFFENCES DEALING WITH, RESPECTIVELY, OBTAINING SERVICES BY DECEPTION, EVADING LIABILITY BY DECEPTION, AND MAKING OFF WITHOUT PAYMENT.
/+A FURTHER
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