Dealing with witness refusing to be sworn or give evidence

(1) Where any person, attending either in obedience to a summons, or by virtue of a warrant, or being present in a court and being orally required by the court to give evidence in any (a) refuses to be sworn as a witness; or (b) having been so sworn, refuses to answer any question put to him by or with the sanction of the court; or (c) refuses or neglects to produce any document which he is required by the court to produce, without offering any sufficient excuse for his refusal or neglect, the court may, if it thinks fit, adjourn the hearing of the cause for any period not exceeding eight days, and may in the meantime, by warrant, commit the person to prison, unless he sooner consents to do what is required of him. (2) If the person, on being brought before the court at or before the adjourned hearing, again refuses to do what is so required of him, the court may, if it thinks fit, again adjourn the hearing of the cause, and commit him for the like period, 25 and so again from time to time until he consents to do what is so required of him. (3) Nothing in this section shall affect the liability of the person to any other punishment or proceeding for refusing or neglecting to do what is so required of him, or shall prevent the court from disposing of the matter in the meantime, according to any other sufficient evidence taken by it.