1964_LEGAL_PRACTITIONERS_ORDINANCE — Page 31

30

CAP. 159]

Legal Practitioners

[1989 Ed.

(a) submit its findings in the form of a report to the Registrar, which report shall include its findings of fact and law and shall be open to the inspection of the barrister concerned, of his counsel and solicitor and of the Attorney General and of the Bar Committee when the complaint is laid by it, but shall not be open to public inspection; and

(b) where it is the opinion of the Committee of Inquiry that a prima facie case of misconduct has been made out, in addition to submitting its report to the Registrar, forward a signed copy of such report to the Chief Justice, together with a transcript of the evidence taken and copies of the documents put in evidence at the hearing.

(2) The laying of a complaint before a Committee of Inquiry shall be in the discretion of the Attorney General or of the Bar Committee, as the case may be:

Provided that where a judge refers any complaint to the Attorney General or to the Bar Committee, the same shall be laid before a Committee of Inquiry.

36. Powers of Committee of Inquiry

(1) For the purpose of conducting any such inquiry or investigation, a Committee of Inquiry shall have all such powers as are vested in the Court or in any judge in the course of any action or suit in respect of the following matters----

(a) enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them upon oath or otherwise;

(b) compelling the production of documents;

(c) punishing persons guilty of contempt;

(d) ordering an inspection of any property;

(e) conducting every examination of witnesses; and

(f) adjourning any meeting from time to time and from one place to another,

and a summons under the hand of the Chairman of a Committee of Inquiry may be substituted for and shall be equivalent to any form of process capable of being issued in any action or suit for compelling the attendance of witnesses or the production of documents and any warrant of committal to prison issued for the purpose of enforcing any such powers as aforesaid shall be under the hand of such Chairman and shall not authorize the imprisonment of any offender for a period exceeding 1 month.

(2) The Commissioner of Police and all police officers, officers of the court, gaolers and bailiffs of the court are required to give their utmost assistance to every Committee of Inquiry and to every chairman thereof, in the enforcement of documents, warrants and orders issued in accordance with subsection (1) or otherwise.

1