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Trials in camera in certain cases


153. (1) When any person is charged with or convicted of having committed any offence under this Part, or under section 354, 354A, 376 or 376B, or sections 354 and 511, or sections 354A and 511 or sections 376 and 511, or sections 376B and 511 of the Penal Code (Cap. 224) in respect of any woman or girl, the court conducting a preliminary inquiry into, or trying the offence, or hearing any appeal or special case or any point reserved by a Judge of the High Court in relation to the offence, may order that all proceedings before it shall be dealt with in camera.


(2) Whenever any such order is made, the court shall not be deemed an open court, and the court shall order that no person shall have access to or be or remain in the court except such persons as are necessary for the purpose of the proceedings.


(3) The court shall order proceedings before it to be dealt with in camera in any case where the girl in respect of whom an offence under this Part, or under section 354, 354A, 376 or 376B, or sections 354 and 511, or sections 354A and 511, or sections 376 and 511, or sections 376B and 511 of the Penal Code is alleged to have been committed has not attained the age of 16 years.


(4) No newspaper report of any proceedings under this Part in any court shall reveal —

(a) the name or address or include any particulars given in the proceedings calculated to lead to the identification; or

(b) the name or address of any witness, or the particulars of any evidence given by the witness in the proceedings, which may lead to the identification,

of any woman or girl in respect of whom the offence is alleged to have been committed nor shall any picture be published in any newspaper as being or including the picture of the woman or girl or witness.


(5) Any person who publishes any matter in contravention of this section 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 3 years or to both.