Section 174
Section 174
(1)
The Director may compound any offence committed by any person under this Enactment, which is prescribed to be a compoundable offence, by making a written offer to such person to compound the offence upon payment to the Director such amount not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount of maximum fine for that offence within such time as may be specified in the offer.
(2)
An offer under subsection (1) may be made at any time after the offence has been committed but before any prosecution for it has been instituted, and where the amount specified in the offer is not paid within the time specified in the offer or within such extended period as the Director may grant, prosecution for the offence may be instituted at any time thereafter against the person to whom the offer was made.
(3)
Where an offence has been compounded under subsection (1) –
(a)
no prosecution shall thereafter be instituted in respect of such offence against the person to whom the offer to compound was made; and
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(b)
any thing seized in connection with such offence shall be released forthwith.
(4)
The power to compound offences under subsection (1) shall be exercised by the Director or the Deputy Director personally.
GENERAL
Conduct of prosecution.