§ 204A — Obstructing, preventing, perverting or defeating course of justice

204A. Whoever does an act that has a tendency to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice —(a)

knowing that the act is likely to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice; or

(b)

intending to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years, or with fine, or with both.

Explanation 1.—A mere warning to a witness that he may be prosecuted for perjury if he gives false evidence is insufficient to constitute an offence.

Explanation 2.—A person sentenced to imprisonment who leaves or attempts to leave Singapore unlawfully to avoid serving that person’s sentence has done an act which has a tendency to obstruct and defeat the course of justice.[15/2019]