Hong Kong Ordinances

DEFAMATION ORDINANCE - SECT 9

Right of prosecutor and of defendant to costs on prosecution for private libel

(1) In the case of any information at the instance of a private prosecutor for
the publication of any defamatory libel, if judgment is given for the
defendant, he shall be entitled to recover from the prosecutor the costs
sustained by the defendant by reason of the information, and upon a special
plea of justification to the information, if the issue is found for the
prosecutor, he shall be entitled to recover from the defendant the costs
sustained by the prosecutor by reason of such plea.

(2) Costs so to be recovered by the defendant or prosecutor respectively shall
be taxed by the proper officer of the court before which the information is
tried. [cf. 1843 c. 96 s. 8 U.K.]