PUBLIC DEFENDERS
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(5) The powers conferred by this section do not extend to any matter for which rules under the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 may be made under section 24.
(6) All regulations made under this section must be presented to Parliament as soon as possible after publication in the Gazette.
Related amendment to Evidence Act 1893
26. Section 3 of the Evidence Act 1893 is amended by deleting subsection (6) and substituting the following subsection:
- “(6) For the purposes of sections 23, 128, 130 and 131, a reference to “advocate or solicitor” in those sections includes a reference to the following:
- (a) any public officer in the Attorney-General’s Chambers when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor;
- (b) the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender, an Assistant Chief Public Defender or a public defender appointed under section 3 of the Public Defenders Act 2022, when he or she acts as an advocate or a solicitor.”.
Related amendments to Legal Profession Act 1966
27.—(1) Section 29(2) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 is amended—
- (a) by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (e); and
- (b) by deleting the full-stop at the end of paragraph (f) and substituting a semi-colon, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraphs:
- “(g) the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022; and
