13.
| (1) The committee shall have power to summon to attend at a public hearing held under section 12, any person who in the opinion of the committee, may be able to give evidence in relation to any matter before the committee or to produce any document, and may examine him on oath or affirmation. Any person so attending may be allowed reasonable expenses necessarily incurred by him in so attending, |
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| (2) If any person summoned to appear before the committee
| | (a) fails without reasonable cause to appear at the time and place mentioned in the summons ; or | | |
| | (b) refuses without reasonable cause to be sworn or having been duly sworn, refuses or fails without reasonable cause to answer any question put to him by the committee or wilfully gives a false answer to any such question; or | | |
| | (c) refuses or fails without reasonable cause to produce before the committee any documents which are in his possession and which he has been required to produce, | | |
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| (3) Where the committee determines that a person has committed any offence of contempt referred to in subsection (2) against or in disrespect of its ruling, the committee may cause the member presiding to transmit to the Court of Appeal a certificate setting out its determination. Every such certificate shall be signed by the member who presides at the public hearing. |
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| (4) In any proceeding for the punishment of an offence of contempt which the Court of Appeal may think lit to take cognizance of, any document purporting to be a certificate signed and. transmitted to that Court under sub section (3) shall"
| | (a) be received in evidence and be deemed to be such a certificate without further proof unless the contrary be proved ; and | | |
| | (b) be prima facie evidence that the determination set out in the certificate was made by the committee and of the facts stated in the determination. | | |
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| (5) Every offence of contempt committed against or in disrespect of the ruling of the committee at a public hear ing held under section 12, shall be punishable by the Court of Appeal or any judge thereof in the same manner as if it were an offence of contempt committed against or in disrespect of the authority of that Court. |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts