Illustrations:- (a) (“A”) informs a Magistrate that (“Z”) a policeman subordinate to such
Magistrate has been guilty of neglect of duty or misconduct knowing such
information to be false and knowing it to be likely that the information
will cause the Magistrate to dismiss (“Z”). (“A”) has committed an
offence under this section;
(b)(“A”) falsely informs a public servant that (“Z”) has contraband goods
in a secret place knowing such information to be false and knowing it is
likely that the consequence of the information will be a search of (“Z’s”)
premises attended with annoyance to (“Z”). (“A”) has committed an
offence under this section;
(c)(“A”) falsely informs a policeman that he has been assaulted and robbed
in the neighbourhood of a particular village. He does not mention the
name of any person as one of his assailants but knows it to be likely that
in consequence of his information the police will make inquiries and
institute searches in the village to the annoyance of the villagers or some
of them. (“A”) has committed an offence under this section.
Section 155 - “Refusing Oath or Affirmation when duly required by Public
Servant”: Whoever refuses to bind himself by an oath or affirmation to
state the truth when required so to bind himself by public servant legally
competent to require that he shall so bind himself, commits an offence and
shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or with fine not exceeding LS60 or with both.
Section 156 – “Refusing to Answer Public Servant Authorized to Question”:
Whoever, being legally bound to answer questions put to him on any
subject by any public servant in the exercise of the lawful powers of such
public servant, refuses to answer any such question, commits and offence
and shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or with fine not exceeding LS60 or with both.
Section 157 - “Refusing to Sign Statement”: Whoever refuses to sign any statement
made by him when required to sign that statement by a public servant
legally competent to require that he shall sign that statement, commits an
offence and shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term
not exceeding three months or with fine not exceeding LS30 or with both.
Section 158 - “Resistance to Taking of Property by Lawful Authority of Public
Servant”: Whoever offers any resistance to the taking of any property by
the lawful authority of any public servant knowing or having reasons to
believe that he is such public servant, commits and offence and shall on
conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding six
months or with fine not exceeding LS60 or with both.
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