Notice by person committed for trial of intention to plead guilty

(1) A person committed for trial whether he is in custody or not, may if he wishes to plead guilty and be sentenced prior to the regular sitting of the court, file with the Registrar a notice in writing to that (2) The notice shall be filed with the record and entry thereof made by the Registrar. (3) The Registrar shall immediately notify the Chief Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions and shall arrange for the record of the preliminary inquiry to be obtained from the examining magistrate as soon as practicable, if not already received. (4) The Chief Justice shall, as soon as conveniently may be after receiving the record as aforesaid and after the indictment has been preferred by the Director of Public Prosecutions, issue an order for the accused person to be brought before the court at the time specified therein and the Registrar shall notify the Director of Public Prosecutions and the accused person accordingly. (5) The accused person shall be called upon to plead to the indictment and he may either plead that he is guilty of the crime charged in the indictment, or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions of any other crime of which he might be convicted on the indictment. (6) If the accused person pleads guilty and his plea is accepted by the prosecutor, he shall be sentenced by the court, after which the Registrar shall cause a notice to be sent to all witnesses who had been required to attend the court in pursuance of a notice under section 47, informing them that they need not appear at the court for the purpose aforesaid. (7) If an accused person, having previously expressed his intention to plead guilty, pleads in the court that he is not guilty, or 46 if although he pleads that he is guilty it appears to the court, upon the examination of the record of the committal proceedings, that he may not have committed the crime charged in the indictment, or any other crime of which he might be convicted on the indictment, the plea of not guilty shall be entered, and the court shall postpone the case for trial by a jury at the regular criminal sittings of the court accordingly, and may remand the accused person to prison or admit him to bail in the meantime. (8) The Court when sitting to deal with accused persons under this section shall possess all the powers, authorities and jurisdiction vested in the court with respect to the trial of criminal cases in the exercise of its criminal jurisdiction.