Inducement to abandon criminal proceedings

(1) Every person who being an accused either by himself or someone acting on his behalf, provides or attempts to provide an inducement whether financial or otherwise, to a complainant or a person acting on his behalf in order to encourage the complainant or a person acting on his behalf to abandon criminal proceedings or retract criminal charges against the accused, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of two years or on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment of ten years. (2) Every person who being a complainant or anyone acting on behalf of the complainant, accepts an inducement from anyone in order to abandon criminal proceedings or criminal charges as described in sub-section (1), commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment for two years or on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment of ten years.