Section 140, The Criminal Procedure Act, 2024

(1) Where before a trial upon indictment or at any stageof the trial the Court is of the opinion that a defendant charged with more than one offence in separate indictment, may not be prejudiced or embarrassed in his defence by reason of being charged in the same indictment with different counts or that for any other reason it is desirable to direct that one or more of the offences be tried jointly in the same indictment, the Court may order the joint trial of the offences in the same indictment. (2) Where before a trial upon indictment or at any stage of the trial the Court is of the opinion that one or more of the defendants charged in separate indictment, may not be prejudiced or embarrassed in his defence by reason of being charged together with another person or other persons in a count or in the same indictment or that for any other reason it is desirable to direct that one or more defendants be tried jointly, the Court may order the joint trial of the defendants. 76 77 amendment of indictment. joint trials. Conduct and precedence of prosecutions. Defendant to be released on bail or discharged if not tried within a certain period of time. (3) Where an order is made under this section, the Court shall order - (a) the discharge of the defendant or defendants in respect of the earlier indictment; (b) that the prosecution files a fresh indictment and serve on the defendant or defendants with a copy or copies, not later than 7 days from the date of the Order; and (c) that the trial shall commence de novo.