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Inquests Act, 1959 (Act No. 58 of 1959)

8. Witnesses and evidence at inquests

 

(1) The judicial officer who is to hold or holds an inquest may, of his own accord or at the request of any person who has a substantial and peculiar interest in the issue of the inquest, cause to be subpoenaed any person to give evidence or to produce any document or thing at the inquest: Provided that the said judicial officer shall, if so requested by the attorney-general within whose area of jurisdiction the inquest is to be held or is being held, cause persons or any particular person to be subpoenaed to give oral evidence in general or in respect of any particular matter at the inquest.

[Section 8(1) substituted by section 3 of Act No. 8 of 1991]

 

(2) Save as is otherwise provided in this Act, the laws governing criminal trials shall mutatis mutandis apply to securing the attendance of witnesses at an inquest, their examination, the recording of evidence given by them, the payment of allowances to them and the production of documents and things.

 

[Section 8 substituted by section 8 of Act No. 45 of 1990]