Zambia
Evidence Act, 1973
Chapter 43
- Commenced on 27 January 1967
- [This is the version of this document at 31 December 1996.]
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Evidence Act.2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—"business" includes any public transport, public utility or similar undertaking carried on by a local authority and the activities of the General Post Office;"document" includes any device by means of which information is recorded or stored, and books, maps, plans and drawings;"proceedings" includes arbitration and references, and "court" shall be construed accordingly;"statement" includes any representation of fact, whether made in words or otherwise.[As amended by No. 3 of 1968]3. Admissibility of documentary evidence as to facts in issue
4. Admissibility of certain trade or business or professional records in criminal proceedings
5. Weight to be attached to evidence
6. Proof of instrument to validity of which attestation is necessary
Subject as hereinafter provided, in any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, an instrument to the validity of which attestation is requisite may, instead of being proved by an attesting witness, be proved in the manner in which it might be proved if no attesting witness were alive:Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to the proof of wills or other testamentary documents.7. Presumptions as to documents twenty years old
In any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, there shall, in the case of a document proved, or purporting, to be not less than twenty years old, be made any presumption which immediately before the commencement of this Act would have been made in the case of a document of like character proved, or purporting, to be not less than thirty years old.8. Rules of court
It is hereby declared that section forty-four of the High Court Act and section fifty-seven of the Subordinate Courts Act authorise the making of rules of court providing for orders being made at any stage of any proceedings directing that specified facts may be proved at the trial by affidavit with or without the attendance of the deponent for cross-examination, notwithstanding that a party desires his attendance for cross-examination and that he can be produced for that purpose.[Cap. 27; Cap. 28]9. Savings
Nothing in this Act shall—History of this document
31 December 1996 this version
Consolidation
27 January 1967
Commenced