### Evidence Ordinance 《證據條例》

10. Exception as to defendant in criminal proceedings
Nothing in this Ordinance shall render any person who in any criminal proceedings is charged with an indictable offence or any offence punishable on summary conviction compellable to give evidence for or against himself, or shall render any person in any proceedings compellable to answer any question tending to criminate himself.
(Amended 50 of 1911; 62 of 1911 Schedule)[cf. 1851 c. 99 s. 3 U.K.]

11. Evidence of parties and their husbands and wives in proceedings for adultery
In any proceedings instituted in consequence of adultery, the parties to such proceedings and the husbands and wives of such parties shall be competent to give evidence in relation thereto.
(Amended 25 of 1969 s. 3)[cf. 1869 c. 68 s. 3 U.K.]

12. Discrediting a witness
A party producing a witness in any proceedings shall not be allowed to impeach his credit by general evidence of bad character, but he may, in case the witness, in the opinion of the court, proves adverse, contradict him by other evidence or, by leave of the court, prove that he has made at other times a statement inconsistent with his present testimony, but, before such last-mentioned proof can be given, the circumstances of the supposed statement, sufficient to designate the particular occasion, must be mentioned to the witness, and he must be asked whether or not he has made such statement.
[cf. 1854 c. 125 s. 22 U.K.; 1865 c. 18 s. 3 U.K.]

13. Proof of contradictory statement of adverse witness
If a witness in any proceedings, on cross-examination as to a former statement made by him relative to the subject-matter of the proceedings and inconsistent with his present testimony, does not distinctly admit that he has made such statement, proof may be given that he did in fact make it; but, before such proof can be given, the circumstances of the supposed statement, sufficient to designate the particular occasion, must be mentioned to the witness, and he must be asked whether or not he has made such statement.
[cf. 1865 c. 18 s. 4 U.K.]

### Evidence Ordinance 《證據條例》

14. Cross-examination as to previous statement in writing
A witness in any proceedings may be cross-examined as to previous statements made by him in writing or reduced into writing relative to the subject-matter of the proceedings, without such writing being shown to him; but if it is intended to contradict such witness by the writing, his attention must, before such contradictory proof can be given, be called to those parts of the writing which are to be used for the purpose of so contradicting him:
Provided always that it shall be competent for the court, at any time during the trial or hearing of the proceedings, to require the production of the writing for its inspection, and the court may thereupon make such use of it for the purposes of the trial or hearing as it may think fit.[cf. 1854 c. 125 s. 24 U.K.; 1865 c. 18 s. 5 U.K.]

15. Proof of conviction and previous conviction for indictable offence
A witness in any proceedings may be questioned as to whether he has been convicted of any indictable offence, and, on being so questioned, if he either denies or does not admit the fact or refuses to answer, it shall be lawful for the cross-examining or opposite party to prove such conviction, and in such case, and also whenever it may be necessary to prove the trial and conviction or acquittal of any person charged with an indictable offence, a certificate, record, or extract of the conviction containing the substance and effect only (omitting the formal part) of the conviction for such offence, purporting to be signed by the clerk of the court or other officer having the custody of the records of the court where the offender was convicted, or acquitted, or by the deputy of such clerk or officer, shall, on proof of the identity of the person, be sufficient evidence of such conviction or acquittal, without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed the same.
(Amended 50 of 1991 s. 4)[cf. 1851 c.99 s. 13 U.K.; 1854 c. 125 s. 25 U.K.; 1865 c. 18 s. 6 U.K.; 1871 c. 112 s. 18 U.K.]

16. Attesting witness need not be called
It shall not be necessary in any proceedings to prove by the attesting witness any instrument to the validity of which attestation is not requisite; and such instrument may be proved by admission or otherwise as if there had been no attesting witness thereto.
[cf. 1854 c. 125 s. 26 U.K.; 1865 c. 18 s. 7 U.K.]

### Evidence Ordinance 《證據條例》

17. Comparison of disputed with genuine writing
Comparison of a disputed writing with any writing proved to the satisfaction of the court to be genuine shall be permitted to be made by witnesses in any proceedings, and such writings, and the evidence of witnesses respecting the same, may be submitted to the court and to the jury, if any, as evidence of the genuineness or otherwise of the writing in dispute.
[cf. 1854 c. 125 s. 27 U.K.]

17A. Evidence in criminal proceedings to prove unrecorded event did not happen
(1) Where in any criminal proceedings the happening of an event of any description is relevant, and it is proved that a system has been followed whereby a person acting under a duty has compiled a record of the happening of all events of that description, evidence that there is no record of the happening of the event in question shall be admitted as prima facie evidence to prove that the event did not happen.
(2) This section shall not apply to any record compiled in connexion with any criminal proceedings or with any investigation relating or leading to any criminal proceedings.
(3) Where evidence is tendered under this section, the court may require that the whole or part of the record concerned be produced and, in default, may reject the evidence or, if it has been received, exclude it.
(4) Any reference in this section to a person acting under a duty includes a reference to a person acting in the course of any occupation in which he is engaged or employed or for the purposes of any paid or unpaid office held by him.
(Added 37 of 1984 s. 3)

18. Copy of document of public nature
Whenever any book or other document is of such a public nature as to be admissible in evidence on its mere production from the proper custody, and no enactment exists which renders its contents provable by means of a copy, any copy thereof or extract therefrom shall be admissible in evidence in the court, provided it is proved to be an examined copy or extract or provided it purports to be signed and certified as a true copy or extract by the officer to whose custody the original is entrusted, and which officer is hereby required to furnish such certified copy or extract to any person applying at a reasonable time for the same, on payment of a reasonable sum for the same, not exceeding 50 cents for every folio of 72 words.
(Amended 51 of 1911; 63 of 1911 Schedule; 9 of 1950 Schedule; L.N. 54 of 1989)[cf. 1851 c. 99 s. 14 U.K.]