CHARITIES ACT 1978 - SECT 16 Offence
CHARITIES ACT 1978 - SECT 16
Offence(1) A person who—
(a) conceals, destroys, mutilates or alters any of the documents which have been or may be required to be produced under this Part; or
(b) sends, causes to be sent or conspires with another person to send out of the State any of those documents—
shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) An offence against subsection (1) is an indictable offence the penalty in respect of which is a term of imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years.
S. 16(3) amended by No. 57/1989 s. 3(Sch. item 21).
(3) Notwithstanding that an offence against subsection (1) is an indictable offence, the Magistrates' Court may hear and determine proceedings for an offence against subsection (1) if the court is satisfied that it is proper to do so and where the court convicts a person of an offence against subsection (1) that person shall be liable to a penalty of a term of imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years.
(4) In a prosecution for an offence under subsection (1) it is a defence if the person charged with the offence proves that he did not act with intent to defeat the purposes of this Part or to delay or obstruct the carrying out of an inquiry under this Part.
S. 17
inserted by No. 9710 s. 3.