[Rev. 2012] Criminal Procedure Code CAP. 75 155. Parties may examine witnesses (1) The parties to a proceeding under this Code in which a commission is issued may respectively forward any interrogatories in writing which the court or magistrate directing the commission may think relevant to the issue, and the magistrate to whom the commission is directed shall examine the witness upon those interrogatories. (2) Any such party may appear before the magistrate by advocate, or, if not in custody, in person, and may examine, cross-examine and re-examine (as the case may be) the witness. 156. Power of magistrate to apply for issue of commission Whenever, in the course of a proceeding under this Code before a magistrate other than a magistrate empowered to hold a subordinate court of the first class, it appears that a commission ought to be issued for the examination of a witness whose evidence is necessary for the ends of justice, and that the attendance of the witness cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable, the magistrate shall apply to the High Court, stating the reasons for the application; and the High Court may either issue a commission in the manner provided in section 154 or reject the application. 157. Return of commission (1) After a commission issued under section 154 or section 156 has been duly executed it shall be returned, together with the deposition of the witness examined thereunder, to the High Court or to the magistrate empowered to hold a subordinate court of the first class (as the case may be), and the commission, the return thereto and the deposition shall be open at all reasonable times to inspection of the parties, and may, subject to all just exceptions, be read in evidence in the case by either party, and shall form part of the record. (2) A deposition so taken, if it satisfies the conditions prescribed by section 34 of the Evidence Act (Cap. 80) may also be received in evidence at a subsequent stage of the case before another court. [Act No. 46 of 1963, s. 183.] 158. Adjournment of inquiry or trial In a case in which a commission is issued under section 154 or section 156, the proceedings may be adjourned for a specified time reasonably sufficient for the execution and return of the commission. EVIDENCE FOR DEFENCE 159. Repealed by Act No. 46 of 1963, Second Sch. 160. Procedure where person charged is only witness Where the only witness to the facts of the case called by the defence is the person charged, he shall be called as a witness immediately after the close of the evidence for the prosecution. C44 - 61 [Issue 1]