Cap. 50 Art. 9Crime and special investigation powers.

(1) A person who is or has been a public servant or government contractor is guilty of an offence if without lawful authority he discloses any information, document or other article to which this article applies and which is or has been in his possession by virtue of his position as such.

(2) This article applies to any information, document or other article -

(a) the disclosure of which -

(i) results in the commission of an offence; or

(ii) facilitates an escape from legal custody or the doing of any other act prejudicial to the safekeeping of persons in legal custody; or

(iii) impedes the prevention or detection of offences or the apprehension or prosecution of suspected offenders; or

(b) which is such that its unauthorised disclosure would be likely to have any of those effects.

(3) This article also applies to any information obtained by reason of action authorised by a warrant issued under article 6 of the Security Service Act, or by an authorisation given under article 9 of that Act, any information relating to the obtaining of information by reason of any such action and any document or other article which is or has been used or held for use in, or has been obtained by reason of, any such action.

(4) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this article in respect of a disclosure falling within paragraph (a) of subarticle (2) to prove that at the time of the alleged offence he did not know, and had no reasonable cause to believe, that the disclosure would have any of the effects there mentioned.

(5) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under article applies.

(6) In this article "legal custody" includes detention in pursuance of any enactment or any instrument made under an enactment.