Guilty plea by post. Procedure thereon. Schedule

(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, if in the case of any offence specified in the Schedule the defendant pleads guilty by letter addressed to the clerk of the court, the court may in its discretion in lieu of any other proceedings enter a plea of guilty and deal with the case in the like manner, including the reading in open court of the letter containing the plea, mutatis mutandis as if the defendant had appeared before the court in person and said that he was guilty. (2) The court shall not impose in respect of any offence dealt with under this section a fine exceeding fifty dollars or the maximum amount of fine provided for by law (whichever be the lesser) or any term of imprisonment. 27 (3) In every case in which the procedure prescribed by subsection (1) of this section is applicable the summons shall contain the following, (a) a provision that the defendant shall not be required to appear to answer the said complaint before the court before a certain date and time not less than fourteen days after the service of the summons; (b) a footnote or endorsement as follows, “By virtue of section 41(1) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Procedure) Act (Chapter 99 of the Revised Laws) a court may in its discretion accept a plea of guilty in a letter addressed to the clerk of the court and may thereupon impose such penalty as the law provides for the offence to which the defendant has pleaded guilty but shall not impose a fine exceeding fifty dollars or the maximum amount of fine provided for by law (whichever be the lesser) or any term of imprisonment in respect of any such offence. If the defendant decides to take this course he may if he chooses, mention in such letter any facts - which he thinks mitigate the offence. The court has a complete discretion as to whether the defendant should be required to attend and plead personally and if the statement of facts (if any) in mitigation is disputed by the prosecution at the hearing of the summons this may lead to the personal appearance of the defendant being required.” (4) The Attorney General may by Order published in the Gazette amend the said Schedule, and the said Order shall be subject to the negative resolution of both Houses of the National Assembly. (5) This section shall have no application in the case of any defendant who is a child or young person or who is reasonably believed to be under the age of sixteen years at the date of the service of the summons. 28