MAGISTRATES COURTS AMENDMENT BILL 2014 PASSED
The National Parliament of Solomon Islands. Photo: Courtesy of S.I Parliament.
Parliament has passed the Magistrates Courts Amendment Bill, giving way for the electronic recording of oral evidence in Court.
The Bill, passed just before 12noon today, puts in a new section 69 in the existing Magistrates Courts Act.
Section 69 of the Magistrates Court Act deals with how oral evidence given in court is recorded – which the former Section 69 only gave provision for oral evidence given before a Magistrates Court to be recorded in ‘writing’.
Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs, Commins Mewa told Parliament this morning the amended Section 69 now provides for electronic recording of oral evidence given in Court.
“The Bill also introduces Section 69 (a). This Section modifies the effect of Section 69 by providing that sound recording by a suitable recording device, operated by the Clerk of the court may be used to record the evidence. The evidence is then transcribed, examined by the Magistrate’s and certified as the accurate and faithful records of the proceedings.”