Section 24
( 1)
of Criminal Conduct (Recovery of Proceeds) Order, 2000
A person is guilty of an offence if -
(a)
he knows or suspects that another person is engaged in money·
laundering;
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(bJ the information or other matter on which that knowledge or suspicion is based came to his attention in the course of his trade, profession, business or employment; and
(cJ he does not disclose the information or other matter to a police officer as soon as is reasonably practicable after it comes to his attention.
(2)
Subsection ( 1) does not make it an offence for a professional legal adviser to fail to disclose any information or other matter which has come to him in privileged circumstances.
(3)
It is a defence to a charge of committing an offence under this section that the person charged had a reasonable excuse for not disclosing the information or other matter.
(4)
Where a person discloses to a police officer-
{aJ his suspicion or belief that another person is engaged in money-lau:r;tdering; or
(bJ any information or other matter on which that suspicion or belief is based, the disclosure shall not be treated as a breach of any restriction imposed by any written law or otherwise.
(5)
Without prejudice to subsections (3) or (4), in the case of a person who was in employment at the time in question, it is a defence to a charge of committing an offence under this section that he disclosed the information or other matter to the appropriate person in accordance with the procedure established by his employer for the making of such disclosures.
(6)
A disclosure to which subsection (5) applies shall not be treated as a breach of any restriction imposed by any written law or otherwise.
(7)
For the purpose of this section, any information or other matter comes to a professional legal adviser in privileged circumstances if it is communicated or given to him-
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(aJ by, or by a representative of, a client of his in connection with the giving by him of legal advice to that client;
(bJ by, or by a representative of, a person seeking legal advice from him; or
(cJ by any person -
(i)
in contemplation of, or in connection with, legal proceedings;
and
(ii)
for the purpose of those proceedings.
(8)
No information or other matter shall be treated as coming to a professional legal adviser in privileged circumstances if it is communicated or given with a view to furthering any criminal purpose.
(9)
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years, a fine or both.
(10)
No prosecution shall be instituted for an offence under this section without the consent of the Attorney General.
(11)
In this section, "money-laundering" means doing any act-
{a}
which constitutes an offence under sections 21, 22 or 23; or
{b)
in the case of an act done outside Brunei Darussalam, which would constitute such an offence if done in Brunei Darussalam, and for the purpose of this subsection, having possession of any property shall be taken to be doing an act in relation to it.
Tipping-off.