Court may determine and declare age of child or young person
21.—(1) Where, in any proceedings under this Act, a person is alleged to be a child or young person, the court, after making such inquiry as it thinks fit as to the age of that person, may determine and declare his age, and for the purposes of this Act, the age so declared by the court shall be deemed to be the true age of that person, unless the contrary is proved, in the same or any subsequent proceedings brought in relation to that person.
(2) Where a person is charged with an offence under this Act in respect of a person apparently under a specified age, it shall be a defence to prove that the person was actually of, or above, that age.
Offences and penalties
22. Any person who—
- (a) refuses to answer, to the best of his knowledge and belief, any question which he is legally bound to answer and which is asked of him by any officer appointed or authorised under this Act;
- (b) makes, signs or delivers or causes to be made, signed or delivered any wilfully false or incorrect notification, report or statement;
- (c) refuses to allow an officer appointed or authorised under this Act such entry or access to any house, building, land, enclosure, vessel or other place as he is required by this Act to allow; or
- (d) contravenes or fails to comply with any order made by a protector under this Act,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both.
Certificate of protector to be evidence
23. A certificate purporting to be under the hand of a protector as to any entry in a register or any other record or as to any matter or thing which he is authorised by this Act or any regulations made thereunder
