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{
    "id": 587213,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/587213/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Kanyua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 981,
        "legal_name": "Priscilla Nyokabi Kanyua",
        "slug": "priscilla-nyokabi-kanyua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you so much, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Just to go back to the question that the Member for Rarieda had asked on having been called upon to give evidence, whether a court can compel a witness to give evidence, it is, indeed, true that once the court feels that you have information or evidence that would assist in a case and in dispensing justice, then the court can compel you. There are fairly interesting cases in the past on African wives, when they used to be compelled to give evidence. Even in the laws on compelling evidence, a wife cannot be compelled to give evidence that is shared in pillow talk. At that time, the question in court was whether a woman married through dowry is a wife or purchased. In that case, the wife who was purchased through dowry in the colonial courts then could be compelled to give evidence. But in the modern day times, a witness who is a wife would not be compelled where information is shared in very private circumstances. In many other official circumstances, for example in the fight against corruption, if you are an officer within an institution and you have evidence that the court thinks is important, you would be compelled to give that evidence and if you fail, you would then be committing contempt of court within the meaning of Clause 10 (d). Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}