Defence Act, 1954

Additional powers of confirming authority in relation to sentences passed by courts-martial.

220.—(1) The following provisions shall apply in relation to any sentence passed by a court-martial—

(a) if the sentence is informally expressed, the confirming authority may, when confirming it, vary the form of the sentence so that it shall be properly expressed;

(b) if the punishment awarded by the sentence is invalid or in excess of that authorised by this Act—

(i) in case the offence in respect of which the punishment was awarded was an offence under section 139, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of dismissal with ignominy from the Defence Forces or any less punishment mentioned in the Scale to subsection (1) of section 209, and confirm the sentence so substituted,

(ii) in any other case, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of any other punishment which might have been awarded by the court-martial to the offender, and confirm the sentence so substituted.

(2) The following provisions shall apply in relation to a sentence of death passed by a court-martial—

(a) in case the offence in respect of which the sentence was passed was treason or murder, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of penal servitude or any less punishment mentioned, if the offender is an officer, in the Scale to subsection (1) of section 209 or, if the offender is a man, in the Scale to subsection (1) of section 210, and confirm the sentence so substituted;

(b) in any other case, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of any other punishment which might have been awarded by the court-martial to the offender, and confirm the sentence so substituted.

(3) The following provisions shall apply in relation to a sentence (other than a sentence of death) passed by a court-martial—

(a) the confirming authority may, when confirming the sentence, mitigate the punishment thereby awarded to a less amount of the same kind of punishment;

(b) the confirming authority may, when confirming the sentence, remit the punishment thereby awarded in whole or in part;

(c) if the offence in respect of which the sentence was passed was an offence under section 139, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of any less punishment mentioned in the Scale to subsection (1) of section 209, and confirm the sentence so substituted;

(d) if the offence in respect of which the sentence was passed was not an offence under section 139, the confirming authority may substitute for the sentence a sentence of any less punishment which might have been awarded by the court-martial to the offender, and confirm the sentence so substituted.

(4) Where under this section a new sentence is substituted for a sentence passed by a court-martial, the new sentence shall have force and effect as if it had been passed by the court-martial in the first instance and the provisions of this Act shall apply accordingly.