Section 99: Disclosure of information

99. Disclosure of information (1) For the purposes of an investigation under section 97, the Ombudsman may require any Minister, officer or member of any department or authority concerned or any other person who in his opinion is able to furnish information or produce documents relevant to the investigation to furnish any such information or produce any such document. (2) For the purposes of any such investigation, the Ombudsman shall have the same powers as the Supreme Court in respect of the attendance CON – 73 [Issue 1] The Constitution and examination of witnesses (including the administration of oaths and the examination of witnesses abroad) and in respect of the production of documents. (3) No obligation to maintain secrecy or other restriction upon the disclosure of information obtained by or furnished to persons in the public service imposed by any law in force in Mauritius or any rule of law shall apply to the disclosure of information for the purposes of any such investigation, and the State shall not be entitled in relation to any such investigation to any such privilege in respect of the production of documents or the giving of evidence as is allowed by law in legal proceedings. (4) No person shall be required or authorised by virtue of this section to furnish any information or answer any question or produce any document relating to proceedings of the Cabinet or any committee of Cabinet, and for the purposes of this subsection, a certificate issued by the Secretary to Cabinet with the approval of the Prime Minister and certifying that any information, question or document so relates shall be conclusive. (5) The Attorney-General may give notice to the Ombudsman, with respect to any document or information specified in the notice, or any class of documents or information so specified, that in his opinion the disclosure of that document or information, or of documents or information of that class, would be contrary to the public interest in relation to defence, external relations or internal security; and where such a notice is given nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising or requiring the Ombudsman or any member of his staff to communicate to any person for any purpose any document or information specified in the notice, or any document or information of a class so specified. (6) Subject to subsection (3), no person shall be compelled for the purposes of an investigation under section 97 to give any evidence or produce any document which he could not be compelled to give or produce in proceedings before the Supreme Court. [S. 99 amended by Act 48 of 1991.]