§ 19 — Court may order payment of costs by aided accused person in certain circumstances

19.—(1) Where it appears to a court that any of the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) exists in relation to an aided accused person, the court may order the aided accused person to pay the costs of any of the following persons:(a)

the Chief Public Defender and every public defender who acted for the aided accused person;

(b)

an assigned solicitor who acted for the aided accused person.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the circumstances are as follows:(a)

the Grant of Aid issued to the aided accused person has been obtained by fraud or misrepresentation;

(b)

the aided accused person acted improperly in defending or contesting any proceedings, or in the conduct of those proceedings.

(3) Where an order is made under subsection (1), the costs are to be assessed as if the party ordered to pay the costs were not an aided accused person.[Act 32 of 2024 wef 25/11/2024]

(4) In subsection (1), “aided accused person” includes, in any case where the Grant of Aid has been cancelled before the making of the order, the individual who immediately before the cancellation was an aided accused person.

—(1) Where it appears to a court that any of the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) exists in relation to an aided accused person, the court may order the aided accused person to pay the costs of any of the following persons:(a)

the Chief Public Defender and every public defender who acted for the aided accused person;

(b)

an assigned solicitor who acted for the aided accused person.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the circumstances are as follows:(a)

the Grant of Aid issued to the aided accused person has been obtained by fraud or misrepresentation;

(b)

the aided accused person acted improperly in defending or contesting any proceedings, or in the conduct of those proceedings.

(3) Where an order is made under subsection (1), the costs are to be assessed as if the party ordered to pay the costs were not an aided accused person.[Act 32 of 2024 wef 25/11/2024]

(4) In subsection (1), “aided accused person” includes, in any case where the Grant of Aid has been cancelled before the making of the order, the individual who immediately before the cancellation was an aided accused person.