TONGA

EVIDENCE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2003
No. 21 of 2003.

I assent,

TAUFA 'AHAU TUPOU IV,
18th November, 2003.

AN ACT
TO AMEND THE EVIDENCE ACT

[20th October, 2003.]

BE IT ENACTED by the King and Legislative Assembly of Tonga in the Legislature of the Kingdom as follows:

Short title

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Evidence (Amendment) Act, 2003.

(2) The Evidence Act (Cap. 15) as amended, is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

Interpretation

2. Section 2 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting the following.

""data" means representations, in any form of information or concepts;

"electronic record" means data that is recorded or stored on any medium in or by a computer system or other similar device that can be read or perceived by a person or a computer system or other similar device including a display, printout or other output of that data;

"electronic record system" includes the computer system or other similar device by or in which data is recorded or stored, and any procedures related to the recording and preservation of electronic records."

Amendment to section 54

3. The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following new sections after section 54 -

"General admissibility

54A. Nothing in the rules of evidence shall apply to deny the admissibility of an electronic record in evidence on the ground that it is an electronic record.

Scope

54B. A court may have regard to evidence adduced under section 54A in applying any law relating to the admissibility of records.

Authentication

54C. The person seeking to introduce an electronic record in any legal proceeding has the burden of proving its authenticity by evidence capable of supporting a finding that the electronic record is what the person claims it to be.

Best evidence rule

54D. (1) In any legal proceeding, where the best evidence rule is applicable in respect of electronic record, the rule is satisfied on proof of the integrity of the electronic records system in or by which the data was recorded or stored.

(2) In any legal proceeding, where an electronic record in the form of printout has been manifestly or consistently acted on, relied upon, or used as the record of the information recorded or stored on the printout, the printout is the record for the purposes of the best evidence rule.

Presumption of integrity

54E. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the integrity of the electronic records system in which an electronic record is recorded or stored is presumed in any legal proceeding -

(a) where evidence is adduced that supports a finding that at all material times the computer system or other similar device was operating properly, or if not, that in any respect in which it was not operating properly or out of operation, the integrity of the record was not affected by such circumstances, and there are no other reasonable grounds to doubt the integrity of the record;

(b) where it is established that the electronic record was recorded or stored by a party to the proceedings who is adverse in interest to the party seeking to introduce it; or

(c) where it is established that the electronic record was recorded or stored in the usual and ordinary course of business by a person who is not a party to the proceedings and who did not record or store it under the control of the party seeking to introduce the record.

Standards

54F. For the purpose of determination under any rule or law whether an electronic record is admissible, evidence may be presented in respect of any standard, procedure, usage or practice on how electronic records are to be recorded or preserved, having regard to the type of business that used, recorded or preserved the electronic record and the nature and purpose of the electronic record.

Proof by affidavit

54G. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the matters referred to in sections 54D, 54E and 54F may be established by affidavit.

Agreement on admissibility

54H. An agreement between the parties on admissibility of an electronic record does not render the record admissible in a criminal proceeding on behalf of the prosecution, if at the time the agreement was made, the accused person or any of the persons accused in the proceeding was not represented by a law practitioner.

Admissibility of electronic signature

54I. For the purposes of this section, -

"electronic signature" means any letters, characters, numbers or other symbols in electronic form attached to or logically associated with an electronic record, and executed or adopted with the intention of authenticating or approving the electronic record.

(2) Where a rule of evidence requires a electronic signature, or provides for certain consequences if a document is not signed, an electronic signature satisfies that rule of law or avoids those consequences.

(3) A electronic signature may be proved in any manner, including by showing that a procedure existed by which it is necessary for a person, in order to proceed further with a transaction, to have executed a symbol or security procedure for the purpose of verifying that an electronic record is that of the person."

Passed in the Legislative Assembly this 20 day of October, 2003.

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TONGA

Fika 21 'o e 2003.

'Oku ou loto ki ai,

TAUFA 'AHAU TUPOU IV,
18 'o Novema, 2003.

KO E LAO
KE FAKATONUTONU 'A E LAO KI HE FAKAMO'ONI

[20 'o 'Okatopa, 2003.]

'OKU TU'UTU'UNI 'e he Tu'i mo e Fale Alea 'o Tonga 'i he Fakataha Alea 'a e Pule'anga 'o pehe:

Hingoa nounou

1. (1) 'E ui 'a e Lao ni ko e Lao (Fakatonutonu) ki he Lao ki he Fakamo 'oni 2003.

(2) 'Oku ui 'a e Lao ki he Fakamo'oni (Vahe 15), 'i hono fakatonutonu, 'i he Lao ni ko e Tefito 'i Lao.

'Uhinga'i Lea

2. 'Oku fakatonutonu 'a e kupu 2 'o e Tefito'i Lao 'aki hono fakahu ant eni -

""fakamatala" 'oku 'uhinga ki ha ngaahi fakafotunga, 'i ha founga fakamatala pe tefito 'i fakakaukau;

"lekooti faka'uhila" 'oku 'uhinga ki ha fakamatala 'oku lekooti pe tauhi 'i ha me'a fakakomipiuta pe me'angaue tatau kehe 'a is 'e malava ke lau pe 'ilo 'i 'e ha taha pe ko ha founga fakakomipiuta pe me'angaue tatau kehe 'o kau ki ai hono fakahaha, hiki tatau pe founga fakaha kehe 'o e fakamatala ko ia;

"founga lekooti faka'uhila" 'oku kau ki ai 'a e founga fakakomipiuta pe me'angaue tatau kehe 'a is pe 'oku lekooti pe tauhi ai ha fakamatala, mo ha ngaahi founga ngaue 'a is 'oku felave'i mo hono lekooti mo e fakatolonga 'o e ngaahi lekooti faka'uhila."

Fakatonutonu 'o e kupu 54

3. 'Oku fakatonutonu 'a e Tefito 'i Lao 'aki hono fakahu ant 'a e ngaahi kupu fo'ou ko 'eni hili 'a e kupu 54 -

"Fakahu fakalukufua

54A. Kuo pau 'e 'ikai ngaue'aki ha ngaahi tu'utu'uni ki he fakamo'oni ke ne ta'ofi hono fakahu atu 'o ha lekooti faka'uhila 'i he fakamo'oni 'i he makatu'unga ko e lekooti faka'uhila ia.

Ngaue'aki

54B. 'E ngofua ke fakakaukau'i 'e he fakamaau'anga 'a e fakamo 'oni 'oku fakahu 'i he kupu 54A 'i hono ngaue'aki ha lao fekau'aki mo hono fakahu 'o e ngaahi lekooti.

Fakamo'oni'i

54C. 'Oku 'i he taha 'oku ne fie fakahu ha lekooti faka'uhila 'i ha hopo 'a e fatongia 'o hono fakamo 'oni 'i 'aki ha fakamo'oni 'e ala tokoni ki hono fakamo'oni'i ko e lekooti faka'uhila ko is 'oku hange is ko e taukave 'a e taha ko ia.

Tu'utu'uni fakamo'oni lelei taha

54D. (1) 'I ha hopo, 'a is 'e ngaue'aki ai ha tu'utu'uni fakamo'oni lelei taha felave'i mo ha lekooti faka'uhila, 'e kakato 'a e tu'utu'uni 'i hono fakamo'oni'i 'a e haohaoa 'a e founga lekooti faka'uhila 'a is pe 'oku lekooti pe tauhi ai 'a e fakamatala.

(2) 'I ha hopo, ko ha lekooti faka'uhila hiki tatau kuo ngaue'aki pau pe fakafalala ma'u pe ki ai, pe ngaue'aki ko e lekooti 'o e fakamatala 'oku lekooti pe tauhi 'i he hiki tatau, ko e hiki tatau ko e lekooti is 'o e ngaahi taumu 'a 'o e to 'utu 'uni fakamo'oni lelei taha.

Pehe 'oku haohaoa

54E. Kapau 'oku 'ikai ke 'i ai ha fakamo 'oni fehangahangai, kuo pau ke pehe 'oku haohaoa 'a e founga lekooti faka'uhila 'a is 'oku lekooti pe tauhi ai ha lekooti faka'uhila 'i ha hopo -

(a) 'a is 'oku 'i ai ha fakamo'oni 'oku poupou ki ha mo'oni'i me'a na'e lele lelei 'a e founga fakakomipiuta pe me'angaue tatau kehe 'i he taimi kotoa, pe 'o ka 'ikai, ko e taimi na'e 'ikai lele lelei ai pe 'ikai lele ai, na'e 'ikai ke uesia 'a e haohaoa 'o e lekooti 'i he ngaahi tu'unga ko ia, pea 'oku 'ikai ke 'i ai ha ngaahi makatu'unga fakapotopoto kehe ke veiveiua ai 'a e haohaoa 'o e lekooti;

(b) kapau kuo fakamo'oni'i na'e lekooti pe tauhi 'a e lekooti faka'uhila ko is 'e ha fa'ahi 'i he hopo 'oku fehangahangai mo e fa'ahi 'oku nau loto ke fakahu ia; pe

(c) kapau kuo fakamo'oni'i na'e lekooti pe tauhi 'a e lekooti faka'uhila 'e ha taha 'i he founga maheni mo e founga ngaue maheni 'e ha taha 'oku 'ikai ko ha fa'ahi ki he hopo pea na'e 'ikai ke ne lekooti pe tauhi is 'i he pule'i 'e he fa'ahi 'a is 'oku ne loto ke fakahu 'a e lekooti ko ia.

Ngaahi tu'unga 

54F. Koe'uhi ko e taumu'a ke fakamo'oni 'i ha tu'utu'uni pe lao pe 'oku ala fakahu ha lekooti faka'uhila, 'e ngofua ke fakahu 'a e fakamo'oni felave'i mo ha tu'unga, founga ngaue, angafai (usage) pe angafai (practice) hono lekooti pe fakatolonga 'o ha lekooti faka'uhila, 'i hono fakakaukau'i 'a e fa'ahinga ngaue na'a ne ngaue'aki, lekooti pe fakatolonga 'a e lekooti faka'uhila pea mo e natula mo e taumu'a 'o e lekooti faka'uhila.

Fakamo'oni'aki 'a e tohi fuakava

54G. Fakatatau ki he ngaahi tu'utu'uni 'o e Lao ni, 'e ngofua ke fakamo'oni'i 'a e ngaahi me'a 'oku lave ki ai 'a e kupu 54D, 54E mo e 54F 'aki 'a e tohi fuakava.

Felotoi ke fakahu

54H. Ko ha felotoi 'i he vaha'a 'o e ngaahi fa'ahi ki he fakahu 'o ha lekooti faka'uhila 'e 'ikai ke ne fakapapau'i 'e fakahu 'a e lekooti 'i ha hopo hia 'o fakafofonga'i ,a e talatalaaki, kapau ko e taimi na'e fai ai 'a e femahino'aki, ko e taha faka'iloa pe ko ha taha 'o e kau faka'iloa 'i he hopo na'e 'ikai ke fakafofonga'i 'e ha fakafofonga lao.

Fakahu 'o e fakamo'oni faka'uhila

54I. (1) Koe 'uhi ko e ngaahi taumu 'a 'o e kupu ni, -

"fakamo'oni faka'uhila", 'oku 'uhinga ki ha ngaahi mata'itohi, ngaahi fakafotunga, ngaahi fika pe ngaahi fakatolonga kehe 'i ha tu'unga faka'uhila 'oku pipiki ki he pe fekau'aki totonu mo ha lekooti faka'uhila, pea kuo fakahoko pe ohi 'i he taumu'a ke fakapapau'i pe tali 'a e lekooti faka'uhila.

(2) 'I ha fiema'u 'e he tu'utu'uni 'o e fakamo'oni ha fakamo'oni faka'uhila, pe tuku atu koe'uhi ko e ngaahi nanunga pau 'o ka 'ikai fakamo 'oni ha tohi fakamatala, 'oku fakakakato 'e he fakamo'oni faka'uhila 'a e tu'utu'uni ki he lao pe faka'ata ,a e ngaahi nanunga ko ia.

(3) 'E ngofua ke fakamo 'oni 'i ha fakamo 'oni faka'uhila 'i ha founga pe, 'o kau ki ai hono fakaha na'e 'i ai ha founga ngaue 'a is 'oku fe'unga ki ha taha, ke ala hoko atu ai ha fehu'aki, ke fakahoko ha faka'ilonga pe founga ngaue malu 'o fakataumu 'a ke fakapapau 'i ko e lekooti faka'uhila is 'o e taha ko ia."

Na'e tali 'i he Fale Alea 'i he 'aho ni 20 'o 'Okatopa, 2003.

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