Section 183 Evidence Act 2011
Section 183 Evidence Act 2011 is titled ‘Witness not to be compellable to incriminate himself‘. It is under Part XI (WITNESSES) of the Act. It states as follows:
No one is bound to answer any question if the answer to it would, in the opinion of the court, have a tendency to expose the witness or the wife or husband of the witness to any criminal charge, or to any penalty or forfeiture which the judge regards as reasonably likely to be preferred or sued for:
Provided that –
(a) a person charged with an offence, and being a witness in pursuance of section 180 of this Act may be asked and is bound to answer any question in cross – examination notwithstanding that it would tend to incriminate him as to the offence charged;
(b) no one is excused from answering any question only because the answer may establish, or tend to establish that he owes a debt or is otherwise liable to any civil suit either at the instance of the Federal, State, or Local Government or any other person;
(c) Nothing contained in this section shall excuse a witness at any inquiry by the direction of the Attorney – General of the Federation or of a State, under Part 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act from answering any question required to be answered under section 458 of that Act.