§ 143 — Persons who may be charged and tried jointly

143. The following persons may be charged and tried together or separately:(a)

persons accused of the same offence committed in the same transaction;

(b)

persons accused of different offences committed in the same transaction;

(c)

persons accused of 2 or more offences which form or are a part of a series of offences of the same or a similar character;

(d)

a person accused of an offence of theft, extortion, robbery, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust or cheating, and another person accused of receiving or retaining or assisting in the disposal or concealment of the subject matter of that offence;

(e)

persons accused of offences under sections 411 and 414 of the Penal Code 1871, or either of those sections, in respect of the same stolen property, the possession of which has been transferred as a result of the original offence of theft, extortion, robbery, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust or cheating;

(f)

a person accused of any offence under Chapter 18 of the Penal Code 1871 relating to a counterfeit currency, and a person accused of any other offence under that Chapter relating to the same currency;

(g)

a person accused of committing an offence and a person accused of abetment of or attempt to commit that offence.Illustrations

(a)

A and B are accused of the same murder. A and B may be charged and tried together for the murder.

(b)

A and B are accused of a robbery during which A commits a murder with which B has nothing to do. A and B may be tried together, where both will be tried for robbery and A tried also for the murder.

(c)

A and B are both charged with a theft and B is charged with 2 other thefts B committed during the same transaction. A and B may both be tried together, where both will be tried for the one theft and B alone for the 2 other thefts.

(d)

A commits theft of a computer. B, knowing that the computer was stolen, receives it from A. B then passes it to C who, knowing that the computer was stolen, disposes of it. A, B and C may all be tried together.

(e)

A and B are accused of giving false evidence in the same proceedings. They should be charged and tried separately.

[15/2019]