Appointment of investigation officers
Open ↗13.—(1) The Director‑General may, in writing, appoint any public officer to be an investigation officer for the purpose of conducting an investigation into any offence under this Act.[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]
(2) Every investigation officer, when exercising any of his or her powers under this Act, must, if not in uniform, declare his or her office and must, on demand, produce to any person affected by the exercise of that power such identification card as the Director‑General may direct to be carried by the investigation officer when exercising that power.[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]
Powers of entry, inspection, search, seizure, etc.
Open ↗14.—(1) An investigation officer has, for the purposes of investigating any offence under this Act, the power to do all or any of the following:(a)
to enter, inspect and search, without warrant at any reasonable time, any place which the investigation officer has reason to believe contains evidence relating to or connected with an offence under this Act;
(b)
for the purposes of paragraph (a) —(i)
to inspect and make copies of and take extracts from, or require the occupier or any person having the management or control of any place mentioned in that paragraph to provide copies of or extracts from, any book, document, record or electronic material;
(ii)
to inspect and make copies of and take extracts from, or require the occupier or any person having the management or control of any place mentioned in that paragraph to provide copies of or extracts from, any medical record of any person who has been or who is being treated or examined at that place, even if the prior consent of the person has not been obtained;
(iii)
to seize and remove from any place mentioned in that paragraph any book, document, record, electronic material, article or thing which the investigation officer reasonably believes to be the subject matter of, or to be connected with the commission of, an offence under this Act; and
(iv)
to make such examination or inquiry as may be necessary to ascertain whether the provisions of this Act have been complied with;
(c)
to require any person, by way of a written order, to produce any book, document, record, electronic material, article or thing that the investigation officer considers is necessary or desirable for the purposes of an investigation under this Act.
(2) The occupier or any person having the management and control of, or who is found in, any place mentioned in subsection (1)(a) must render all necessary assistance and cooperation to the investigation officer as are necessary for an entry, inspection, examination, inquiry or otherwise for the exercise of the officer’s powers under this Act in relation to that place.
(3) Any person who —(a)
obstructs, hinders or impedes an investigation officer in the exercise of the officer’s power under this section; or
(b)
fails to comply with any order or requirement of an investigation officer under this section or to produce any book, document, record, electronic material, article or thing which the person is required by or under this Act to produce to an investigation officer,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
Powers to examine and secure attendance
Open ↗15.—(1) An investigation officer may —(a)
examine orally any person supposed to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of any offence or matter under this Act, and to reduce to writing any statement made by the person so examined; and
(b)
require by written order the attendance before himself or herself of any person, being within the limits of Singapore, who, from information given or otherwise, appears to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of any offence or matter under this Act and that person must attend as required.
(2) The person mentioned in subsection (1)(a) is bound to state truly the facts and circumstances with which the person is acquainted concerning any offence or matter under this Act, except only that the person may decline to make, with regard to any fact or circumstance, a statement which would have a tendency to expose the person to a criminal charge, penalty or forfeiture.
(3) A statement made by a person under this section must —(a)
be read over to the person; and
(b)
after correction (if necessary), be signed by the person.
(4) If any person fails to attend as required by an order under subsection (1)(b), the investigation officer may report the failure to a Magistrate who may then issue a warrant to secure the attendance of that person as required by the order.
