Bailing of accused on adjournment of inquiry

(1) An accused person whether committed to prison or not shall or may, as the case may be, be released on bail upon providing a surety or sureties sufficient in the opinion of the magistrate to secure his appearance, or upon his own recognisance if the magistrate thinks fit and, where by any statute for the time being in force, bail may be allowed or refused in the discretion of the magistrate, that discretion may be exercised at any stage of the proceedings. (2) Whenever the preliminary inquiry is for any reason adjourned or interrupted, the examining magistrate shall or may, as the case may be, instead of remanding the accused person to prison, admit him to bail on condition of his appearing at the time to which the inquiry is adjourned, or at an earlier day if so required. (3) If an accused person who has appeared and has been admitted to bail, either on the recognisance of sureties or on his own recognisance, to appear at any adjournment, fails to appear according to the condition of the recognisance, the magistrate before whom he ought to have appeared may issue a warrant for his apprehension, whether there has been any information in writing and upon oath or not. (4) Where a person is remanded on bail the recognisance may be conditioned for his appearance at every time and place to which during the course of the proceedings the hearing is from time to time adjourned, without prejudice, however, to the power of the court to vary the order at any subsequent hearing.