s 15 Referral of cases by Magistrate
15.—(1) Despite any provision of this Act or any written law, a Magistrate who receives a complaint made by a private person under section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 may, if —(a) the offence is one for which a summons must ordinarily issue in the first instance according to the fourth column of the First Schedule to the Criminal Procedure Code 2010; and (b) the Magistrate is of the opinion, from the nature of the case or the attitude of the parties or both, that the matter may more appropriately be resolved by mediation, refer the complaint to a mediator of a Community Mediation Centre for mediation with or without the consent of both the complainant and the person complained against. [6/2004; 15/2010] (2) In making any referral under subsection (1), the Magistrate may order the complainant or the person complained against to attend (personally or by a representative permitted under section 14) before a mediator of a Community Mediation Centre —(a) at a time and place to be specified in the Magistrate’s order; and (b) in a case where the mediation is to be conducted by electronic communication, video conference or other electronic means, at a time to be specified in the Magistrate’s order and in accordance with the electronic means specified in the Magistrate’s order.[Act 43 of 2024 wef 24/03/2025] (3) In a referral by a Magistrate under this section, the mediator of a Community Mediation Centre must record and notify the Magistrate of the outcome of the mediation to enable the Magistrate to take any further action that the Magistrate thinks fit under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010.