Hong Kong Ordinances

EVIDENCE ORDINANCE - SECT 25

Government Chemist's certificates

(1) A document in the form set out in Form 1 of the Schedule purporting to be
signed by the Government Chemist and purporting to be a certificate as to any
article or substance submitted to him shall be admitted in evidence in
criminal or civil proceedings before any court on its production without
further proof, and-

   (a)  until the contrary is proved, the court before which such document is
        produced shall presume that the signature to the document is genuine
        and that the person signing it was the Government Chemist at the time
        when he signed it; and

   (b)  such document shall be prima facie evidence of all matters contained
        therein.

(2) A document given for the purposes of subsection (1) may be signed by the
Government Chemist when any examination or analysis has been made by a person
acting under his supervision and direction and the Government Chemist is
satisfied as to the examination or analysis.

(3) Where any document is produced and admitted as evidence under subsection
(1), the court may, if it thinks fit, on its own motion or on the application
of any party to the proceedings, summon the person who signed the document and
examine him as to the subject matter thereof. (Added 31 of 1969 s. 5. Amended
35 of 1972 s. 2)