Offences of having article with blade or point in public place

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any person who has, with him in a public place, an article to which this section applies– (a) between the hours of 8:00 pm and 5:00 am; (b) at any time in a gathering of people for political, social, sporting, cultural or other activities is guilty of an offence. (2) This section applies to any article– (a) which has a blade or is sharply pointed, except a folding pocket knife the cutting edge of which does not exceed three inches; or (b) which amounts to an offensive weapon as defined in this section. (3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had the article with him for use at work or had other good reason or lawful authority for having the article with him in a public place. (4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall, unless any other penalty is specially provided, be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months. Crime Control and Criminal Justice[CAP. 102 39 (5) In this section“offensive weapon” means any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to or incapacitating a person, or intended by the person having it with him for such use, but does not include a firearm subject to the Firearms Act; “public place” includes any place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted access, whether on payment of a fee or otherwise.