Section 51
Powers of Oversight Committee
(1)
For the purposes of any inquiry, the Oversight Committee may —
(a)
call upon or appoint any person the Oversight Committee considers necessary to assist it in its inquiry;
(b)
require any person —
(i)
to produce any book, document, paper or other record which may be related to or be connected with the subject matter of the inquiry for inspection by the
Oversight Committee or the person appointed under paragraph (a) and for making copies thereof; or
(ii)
to give all information in relation to any such book, document, paper or other record which may be reasonably required by the Oversight Committee or the person so appointed; and
(c)
require any person to attend at a specified time and place and give evidence or produce any such book, document, paper or record.
(2)
Any person who, without lawful excuse, refuses or fails to comply with any requirement of the Oversight Committee under subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
(3)
Where in the course of its inquiry the Oversight Committee receives any information or evidence relating to the conduct of the public accountant, accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting Limited
Liability Partnership concerned which may give rise to further proceedings under this Part, the Oversight Committee may, after giving notice to the public accountant, accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting
Limited Liability Partnership concerned, decide on its own motion to inquire into that matter and report its findings to the Oversight Committee.
(4)
Where in the course of its inquiry the Oversight Committee receives any information or evidence relating to the conduct of the public accountant, accounting corporation, accounting firm or accounting Limited
Liability Partnership which discloses an offence under any written law, the
Accountants
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Oversight Committee shall record that information in its report to the
Authority.
(5)
The Authority may appoint counsel to advise the Oversight
Committee on any matter of law arising in the course of its inquiry.