Restitution of property in case of conviction

(1) Subject as hereinafter provided, where any person is convicted of a crime, any property found in his possession, or in the possession of another for him, may be ordered by the court to be delivered to the person who appears to the court to be entitled thereto. (2) Where any person is convicted before the court of having stolen or dishonestly obtained any property, and it appears to the court that the property has been pawned to a pawnbroker or other person, the court may order the delivery thereof to the person who appears to the court to be the owner, either on payment or without payment to the pawnbroker or other person of the amount of the loan or any part thereof, as to the court, in all the circumstances of the case, seems just. (3) If the person in whose favour that order is made pays the money to the pawnbroker or other person thereunder, and obtains the property, he shall not afterwards question the validity of the pawn, but, save to that extent, no order made under this section shall have any further effect than to change the possession, nor shall it prejudice any right of property or right of action in respect of property existing or acquired in the goods either before or after the crime was (4) Nothing in this section shall prevent any magistrate or the court from ordering the return to any person charged with a crime, or to any person named by the court, of any property found in the possession of the person so charged or in the possession of any other 109 person for him, or of any portion thereof, if the magistrate or the court is of the opinion that that property, or any portion thereof, can be returned consistently with the interests of justice and with the safe custody or otherwise of the person so charged.