Criminal Justice Act, 1999

Amendment of Act of 1973.

13.—(1) The Act of 1973 is hereby amended by the substitution of the following section for section 2:

Correction of defect in charge after accused is sent forward for sentence.

2.—Where under section 13 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1967 , an accused person is sent forward for sentence on any charge with a plea of guilty—

(a) any defect in the charge may be corrected by the court to which the accused has been sent forward, and

(b) the plea of guilty shall be treated as a plea of guilty to the charge so corrected,

unless such correction would, in the opinion of the court, result in injustice.”.

(2) Section 3(2) of the Act of 1973 is amended by the substitution of “as if he had been sent forward for trial” for “as if he had been returned for trial”.