Misleading Justice

Question 1

Perjury - Legislation

Answer 1

108 Crimes Act 1961
(1) Purjuy is an assertion as to a matter of fact, opinion, belief, or knowledge made by a witness in a judicial proceedings as part of his evidence on oath, whether given in open court, affidavit, or otherwise, that assertion known by the witness to be false and being intended by him to mislead the tribunal holding the proceedings.

(2) Oath includes an affirmation, and also a declaration made under section 13 of the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957.

(3) Everyone is a witness within the meaning of this section who actually gives evidence, whether he is competent to be a witness or not, and whether his evidence is admissible or not.

(4) Every proceeding is judicial within the meaning of this section if it is held before any of the following tribunals, namely:
(a) Any court of justice
(b) The house of Representatives or any committee of that house
(c) Any arbitrator or umpire, or any person or body of persons authorized by law to make an inquiry and take evidence therin upon oath.
(d) Any legal tribunal by which any legal right or liability can be established.
(e) Any person acting as a court or tribunal having power to hold a judicial proceedings
(f) A disciplinary officer, the summary appeal court of NZ, or the Court Martial of NZ acting under the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971.

Question 2

False statement in formal statement deemed to be Purjury - Legislation

Answer 2

Section 83 Criminal Procedure Act 2011
A formal statement filed under section 85 is to be treated as evidence on oath given in a judicial proceedings within the meaning of Purjury (108 Crimes Act 1961)

Question 3

Punishment of perjury - Legislation

Answer 3

109 Crimes Act 1961
(1) Except for subsection (2) Everyone is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who commits purjury.
(2) If purjury is committed for offences above 3years, punishment may be imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14yrs

Question 4

False Oaths- Legislation

Answer 4

110 Crimes Act 1961
Everyone is liable to 5 years imprisonment, who, being required or authorized by law to make any statement on oath or affirmation, there upon makes a statement that would amount to purjury if made in judicial proceedings.

Question 5

False statements or declaration

Answer 5

111 Crimes Act 1961
Everyone is liable to 3 years imprisonment who is required or permitted by law to make any statement or declaration before any officer or person authorized by law, makes a statement or declaration that would amount to purjury if made on oath in a judicial proceedings.

Question 6

Evidence of purjury, false oath, or false statement - legislation

Answer 6

112 Crimes Act 1961
No one shall be convicted of purjury 108, or 110 or 111 of this Act, on the evidence of one witness only. Unless evidence is corroborated.

Question 7

Fabricating evidence

Answer 7

113 Crimes Act 1961
Everyone is liable for 7 years imprisonment who, with intent to mislead any tribunal holding any judicial proceedings to which 108 applies, fabricates evidence by any means other than purjury.

Question 8

Elements of purjury

Answer 8

• A witness making any
• assertion as to any matter of fact, opinion, belief, or knowledge
• in any judicial proceedings
• forming part of that witnesses evidence on oath
• known by that witness to be false, and
• intended to mislead the tribunal

Question 9

Witness - Define

Answer 9

A witness is a person who gives evidence and is able to be cross-examined in a proceeding. Includes someone who has previously given evidence or who will give evidence and actively engaged in proceedings.

Question 10

Define - Assertion (Perjury)

Answer 10

Something declared or stated positively, often with no support or attempt made at furnishing evidence or proof of the assertions accuracy.

Question 11

Matter of fact - Define

Answer 11

Is used in courts to distinguish a particular kind of information. What the witness personally knows about the facts of a case but are prevented from giving testimony as to their opinions.

Question 12

Opinion - Define

Answer 12

In relation to a statement offered in evidence, means a statement of opinion that tends to prove or disprove a fact.

Question 13

Belief - Define

Answer 13

Essentially, it is a subjective feeling regarding the validity of an idea or set of facts. More than mere suspicion and less than knowledge. It is having faith in an idea or formulating a conclusion as the result of considering the available info.

Question 14

Knowledge - Define

Answer 14

Knowing or correctly believing, the belief must he a correct one, where the belief is wrong a person cannot know something.

Question 15

Purjury via AVL from another country.

Answer 15

AVL from another location is to be considered as taking place at the hearing. False evidence by this method from another country would equate to perjury in NZ jurisdiction.

Question 16

Giving evidence- explain

Answer 16

To give evidence means to give evidence in a proceeding, in one of three ways:
a) in the original way as described in s83 (personally in court or by affidavit) or,
b) in an alternative way, as provided for by s105 (CCTV, DVD screens etc), or
c) in any other way provided for under this act or any other enactment.

Question 17

Define - Oath

Answer 17

This is a declaration before a person who has authority to administer an oath, which invokes some religious belief and says that a thing is true or right. Eg. Swear on Bible.

Question 18

Define - Affirmation

Answer 18

This is a verbal or written declaration before a person who has authority to administer an oath, saying that a thing is true or right without a religious belief.

Question 19

Define - Declaration

Answer 19

A promise to tell the truth. A person under 12 years old may make a declaration.

Question 20

Intention to mislead

Answer 20

Offence of Perjury is complete at the time the false evidence is given accompanied by an intention to mislead the tribunal. Where this intention is absent, no offence is committed.

Question 21

R v Goodyear-Smith (Perjury)

Answer 21

(Intention to mislead)
Court held, to be guilty of perjury, a witness must make a wilfully false statement in respect of material of importance.

Question 22

Taylor v Manu (Perjury, False Oath, False Statement)

Answer 22

Court held, must be something corroborating the allegation that an element of these offences occurred.

Question 23

Corroboration required (Perjury, false oath etc)

Answer 23

It is not necessary for evidence to corroborate criminal proceedings except offences involving Perjury, false oath, false statements, or declarations.

Question 24

Section 121 Evidence Act 2006
(Corroboration)

Answer 24

(1) It is not necessary in criminal proceeding for the evidence on which the prosecution relies to ve corroborate, except with respect to the offences of -
a) perjury, and
b) false Oaths, and
c) false statements or declarations, and
d) treason
(2) Subject to section (1) and 122, if proceeding have a jury, it is nor necessary for the judge to
(a) warn the jury that it is dangerous to act on uncorroborated evidence or warn to same effect, or
b) give a direction relating to the absence of corroboration.

Question 25

Justification for corroborating evidence for perjury.

Answer 25

Is to protect witnesses from vexatious (causing annoyance, frustration) accusations of lying on oath.

Question 26

Conspiring to defeat justice - Legislation

Answer 26

Section 116 Crimes Act 1961
Everyone is liable (7 years) who conspires to obstruct, prevent, pervert, or defeat the course of justice.

Question 27

Obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat justice. What must you do? (Conspiring to defeat justice)

Answer 27

You must make a clear determination as to which of the alternative intents available fits the circumstances.

Question 28

Define - Course of justice

Answer 28

Not define within the act. Course of justice includes proceedings initiated and continuing before a tribunal.

Question 29

Examples of misleading justice.

Answer 29

• Preventing a witness from testifying.
• Wilfully going absent as a witness.
• Threatening or bribing witnesses.
• Concealing the fact an offence has been committed.
• Intentionally giving Police false information to obstruct their inquiries.
• Assisting someone to leave the country.
• Arranging a false alibi.
• Threatening or bribing jury members.

Question 30

Corrupting juries and witnesses - Legislation

Answer 30

Section 117 Crimes Act 1961
Everyone is liable (7yrs) who:
a) dissuades or attempts to dissuade any person, by threats, bribes or other corrupt means, from giving evidence in any matter (civil or criminal, in NZ or overseas)
b) influences or attempts to influence by threats or bribes or other corrupt means, a member of a jury in his or her conduct as such. (NZ or not, sworn as a member of jury or not)
c) accepts any bribes or other corrupt consideration to abstain (restrain) from giving evidence (NZ or overseas)
d) accepts any bribes or other corrupt consideration as an account of his/her conduct as a member of jury (NZ or overseas)
e) wilfully attempts in any way to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice in NZ or overseas.

Question 31

Misleading justice investigation procedures.

Answer 31

• Conspiring to defeat course of justice, includes both civil and criminal.
• No defence for conspiring to defeat course of justice that aim of offender was to secure a just result or result they believed was right.
• Where unable to prove conspiracy (116) evidence may reveal a wilful attempt to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice (117)
• May only commence a prosecution for purjury where it is recommended by the courts, or directed by commissioner, can begin inquiries until the allegation.
• Complaints of perjury can arise in two ways, an individual complaint or judge recommendations.