170.
| (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 169, a Magistrate may, upon finding an accused guilty or holding that a charge is proved. cause the finger-prints of such person to be taken and forwarded in the manner provided in subsection (2) of section 77 and the Registrar of Fingerprints shall issue a certificate as required by that subsection. If the certificate so issued declares that the accused's fingerprints are identical with those of the registered criminal, the Magistrate shall read such certificate to the accused and call upon him to admit or deny separately each of the convictions set forth therein. If the accused on being so called upon admits all the convictions set-forth in the certificate, the Magistrate shall pass sentence on him according to law. If the accused declines to make any reply or denies all or any of the convictions set forth in the certificate, the Magistrate shall, before passing sentence on him, proceed to take evidence in proof of such of the convictions as the accused does not admit. The Magistrate may, in his discretion, remand the accused or admit him to bail until the certificate of the Registrar of Fingerprints or the findings referred to in the subsection is available to court. |
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| (2) The fact that any person has been previously convicted of a crime may be proved by the production of a certificate purporting to be signed by the Registrar of the Court stating the substance and effect of the charge and conviction, and certifying-
| | (a) that such person was so previously convicted before the court or | | |
| | (b) that on an occasion when such person was convicted by the court of another offence, he admitted that he was so previously convicted, or was proved to have been so previously convicted; | | |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts