Liability of employers for acts of employees
53.—(1) Any act done or conduct engaged in by a person in the course of his employment (referred to in this section as the employee) shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as done or engaged in by his employer as well as by him, whether or not it was done or engaged in with the employer’s knowledge or approval.
(2) In any proceedings for an offence under this Act brought against any person in respect of an act or conduct alleged to have been done or engaged in, as the case may be, by an employee of that person, it is a defence for that person to prove that he took such steps as were practicable to prevent the employee from doing the act or engaging in the conduct, or from doing or engaging in, in the course of his employment, acts or conduct, as the case may be, of that description.
Jurisdiction of court
54. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 68), a District Court shall have jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act and shall have power to impose the full penalty or punishment in respect of the offence.
Composition of offences
55.—(1) The Commission may, in its discretion, compound any offence under this Act (except Part IX) which is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum not exceeding the lower of the following sums:
- (a) one half of the amount of the maximum fine that is prescribed for the offence;
- (b) a sum of $5,000.
(2) The Commission may, in its discretion, compound any offence under Part IX which is prescribed as a compoundable offence by collecting from a person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence a sum not exceeding $1,000.
(3) On payment of such sum of money, no further proceedings shall be taken against that person in respect of the offence.
