Serious Fraud Office Act 1990

9 Power to require attendance before Director, production of documents, etc

(1)

The Director may, by notice in writing, require—

(a)

any person whose affairs are being investigated; or

(b)

any other person who the Director has reason to believe may have information or documents relevant to an investigation,—

at the time and place specified in the notice, to do any 1 or more of the following things:

(c)

to attend before the Director:

(d)

to answer questions with respect to any matter that the Director has reason to believe may be relevant to the investigation:

(e)

to supply any information specified in the notice with respect to any matter that the Director has reason to believe may be relevant to the investigation:

(f)

to produce for inspection any documents which are specified in the notice and which the Director has reason to believe may be relevant to the investigation.

(2)

Where any document is produced pursuant to this section, the Director may do any 1 or more of the following things:

(a)

retain the original document produced, provided that a copy of the document is taken and returned as soon as practicable thereafter:

(b)

take copies of the document, or of extracts from the document:

(c)

require the person producing the document to provide an explanation of the history, subject matter, and contents of the document and to answer any other questions which arise from that explanation and which the Director has reason to believe may be relevant to the investigation:

(d)

where necessary, require the person producing the document to reproduce, or to assist any person nominated by the Director to reproduce, in usable form, any information recorded or stored in the document.

(3)

Where any person is required to produce any document pursuant to this section and fails to do so, the Director may require that person to state, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, where the document is.

(4)

Where any person is required to supply any information under this section, and does so by producing a document containing that information, the powers conferred by subsection (2) shall apply in all respects to that document.

(5)

Any person who is required to attend before the Director under this section, shall, before being required to comply with any requirements imposed under this section, be given a reasonable opportunity to arrange for a barrister or solicitor to accompany him or her.

(6)

Section 18 shall apply to any notice given under this section.