Section 328 of the Crimes Act is very similar to section 327, which deals with the offence of perjury.
However, section 328 contains a more serious form of the offence.
It says that where you are found to have lied or given a false statement while in the witness box, and you did so with the intention to convict another person, or assist another person in escaping conviction for a serious indictable offence, you could face up to 14 years imprisonment.
A “serious indictable offence” is any offence that must be heard in a higher court, such as the District Court, and which carries a penalty of five years imprisonment or more.
While the maximum penalty for this offence is obviously harsh, it’s important to remember that it will only apply in the most serious cases.
Our highly experienced lawyers can give you the best possible defence against the charges, or, if you wish to plead guilty, can assist in persuading the magistrate to impose a lesser penalty.