Court may direct payment of compensation, etc., although no indictment filed or witness not called

Where upon the committal of an accused person for trial before the Court any witness has been bound over on recognisance, or required by a subpoena to attend and give evidence at the trial, the Court, or a judge thereof, may order that the witness, if he has bona fide attended or necessarily left his place of residence or occupation for the purpose of attending the Court, be paid compensation and travelling expenses to and from the Court, notwithstanding that no indictment has been preferred against the person committed for trial or that that witness has not been called upon to give evidence at the trial.