Section 7: Proof of falsity of pretence.

CHAPTER 34. PERSONATION AND UNIFORMS. An Ordinance to Consolidate and Amend the Law Relating to 11 of 1905. 16 of 1950. the Personation of Officials and the Illegal Wearing of Uniforms. [18TH JULY, 1905.] 1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Personation and Short title. Uniforms Ordinance, and shall apply to the Colony and Protectorate. 2. In this Ordinance the expression Her Majesty's Forces means the Regular, Reserve and Auxiliary Military Forces within the meaning of the Army Act, and the Navy and the Naval Coast Volunteers and the Naval Volunteers. 3. Any person who falsely pretends to be, or wears any garb, or carries any token with the intent that it may, or knowing that it is likely to tend to cause it to, be believed that he is a public officer, or member of the Sierra Leone Police Force, or of the Royal West African Frontier Force, or holder of any office or bearer of any authority from the Governor or from any public officer, or serving in Her Majesty's Forces, and who in, or under colour of, such assumed character does or attempts to do, or procures or attempts to procure, any person to do or abstain from doing any act whatever, shall be guilty of an offence and, on conviction thereof before the Supreme Court, * See section 8 of the Chiefdom Police Ordinance (Cap. 285) as to personation of Chiefdom police. Interpretation. 44 & 45 Viet. c. 58. Personation of public officers, etc. * Wearing of uniforms by unauthorised persons. * Penalty. Penalty for bringing contempt on uniform. Proof of falsity of pretence. Cap. 34] Personation and Uniforms shall be liable to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding :five years or to a :fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to both: Provided always that it shall be lawful for a Court, having summary jurisdiction in criminal matters, to deal with offences under this section summarily, if in the opinion of such Court the offence will be adequately punished by imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding one year, or by a :fine not exceeding fifty pounds, or by both. 4. It shall not be lawful for any unauthorised person to wear the uniform appertaining to any office or employment in Her Majesty's Overseas Service, or of any of Her Majesty's Forces, or any device having the appearance or bearing any distinctive mark of any such uniform: Provided that nothing in this section contained shall prevent any person from wearing any uniform or dress in the course of a stage play, or a music-hall performance or in the course of any bona fide military representation. 5. Any person contravening section 4 hereof shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction before any Court having summary jurisdiction in criminal matters, to a fine not exceeding :five pounds. 6. If any unauthorised person shall wear the uniform appertaining to any office or employment in Her Majesty's Overseas Service or of any of Her Majesty's Forces, or any dress having the appearance, or any distinctive marks, of any such uniform in such a manner or under such circumstances as to be likely to bring contempt upon that uniform, or employs any other person so to wear that uniform or dress, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction before any Court having summary jurisdiction in criminal matters, to a fine not exceeding ten pounds, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month. 7. In any proceedings in which it may be necessary to prove the falsity of the pretence made by the accused, a written statement subscribed by the Governor, or District Commissioner, or an Assistant District Commissioner or, in case the accused * See section 7 of the Chiefdom Police Ordinance (Cap. 285) as to wearing Chiefdom police uniform and section 3 (l) of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Ordinance (Cap. 110) as to Boy Scouts' and Girl Guide uniforms. l Personation and Uniforms [Cap. 34 should pretend to be serving in Her Majesty's Forces, or in the :Royal West African Frontier Force, then by the officer Com- :ruanding the Troops in Sierra Leone, or by the Senior Naval officer present in the Colony or Protectorate, or by the Officer Commanding such Force respectively, declaring that the accused was not what he pretended to be, or did not have the pretended authority, shall be sufficient evidence of the falsity of such pretence without proof of the signature unless the Court sees reason to the contrary.