| 单词 | Witness |
| 释义 | 見證人 1. A person who sees or hears material relevant to an enquiry. For example, in a informal inquiry into a workplace accident or dangerous occurrence, the Commissioner for Labour may examine witnesses and parties on oath and, by notice in writing, direct the attendance at the inquiry of witnesses in order to give evidence or to produce documents or other material evidence: Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Cap 509) s 17(3). 2. Any person properly attending a court to give evidence, whether or not called to give evidence at the instance of the court, and whether or not he gives evidence, and includes (i) a person who conducts a prosecution and obtains an order for costs; and (ii) a defendant who obtains an order for costs, but does not include a person who is (A) a police officer attending court in the course of his duties; (B) an officer of the Correctional Services Department attending court in the course of his duties; or (C) a prisoner in respect of any occasion on which he is conveyed to court in custody: Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Cap 221) s 9B (3)(b). In relation to witness protection, it means (1) a person who has given, or who has agreed to give, evidence on behalf of the Hong Kong SAR in proceedings for an offence; (2) a person who has given, or who has agreed to give other evidence in relation to the commission or possible commission of an offence; (3) a person who has provided a statement or other assistance to a public officer in relation to an offence; (4) a person who, for any other reason, may require protection or other assistance under the witness protection programme; or (5) a person who, because of his relationship to or association with a person mentioned above, may require protection or other assistance under the witness protection programme: Witness Protection Ordinance (Cap 564) s 2. It includes a person whose written statement is admitted in evidence under section 81A: Magistrates Ordinance (Cap 227) s 84(4). A witness may generally give evidence only of fact, and not of inference from facts, or of his opinion or belief. However, a witness may be required to give an opinion based on, for example, a person’s general reputation for good character: R v Rowton (1865) 10 Cox CC 25 (CCR)). 3. A person who observes the signing of a legal document, such as a will, as and when it takes place and affirms it by adding his or her own signature on the document as an attesting witness. For a will to be valid, two or more than two witnesses must sign and attest to the will in the presence of the testator and each other: Wills Ordinance (Cap 30) s 5(1)(d). Each witness should be able to say with truth that he has seen the testator sign the document (Brown v Skirrow [1902] P 3) but it is not necessary that the witness should know that it is the testator’s will (Re Gibson [1949] P 434, 2 All ER 90). There is no statutory provision which forbids any person from witnessing a will. A blind person, however, is not normally capable of witnessing a will, as mere physical presence without the faculty of sight is not enough to constitute a person a witness to something visible, such as the signature of a will: Re Gibson, supra. A witness may subscribe a will in any mode which sufficiently identifies him as the person attesting the will: Re Cook, Murison v Cook [1960] 1 All ER 689, 1 WLR 353. Thus, a sufficient description of the witness without his name is a valid description (Re Sperling (1863) 3 Sw & Tr 272), and so is a signature in a wrong name (Re Olliver (1854) 2 Ecc & Ad 57), where the signature is intended to represent the person signing and not some other person as being the actual witness (Re Leverington (1886) 11 PD 8). See also Attestation; Beneficiary witness; Formalities; Supernumerary witness. 1. 查看或傾聽與查詢相關的材料的人。例如，就意外或危險事故進行非正式研訊勞工處處長，訊問經宣誓的證人及各方，及藉書面通知，指示證人出席研訊以作證或出示文件或提供其他關鍵性證據：《職業安全及健康條例》（第509章）第17(3)條。 2. 任何正式出庭以提供證據的人，不論是否由法庭提出傳召他提供證據，亦不論他是否提供證據，並包括(i)進行檢控並d取得支付訟費命令的人；及(ii) 取得支付訟費命令的被告人，但不包括以下的人(A)在執行職責過程中出庭的警務人員；(B)在執行職責過程中出庭的懲教署人員；或(C)就任何事由而在扣押中被送往法庭的囚犯: 《刑事訴訟程序條例》（第221章）第9B (3)(b)條。證人保護是指(1) 已在就某項罪行進行的法律程序中為特區作供或已同意如此作供的人；(2)已就某人犯了或可能犯某項罪行而作供或已同意如此作供的人；(3) 已就某項罪行向公職人員作出陳述或提供其他協助的人；(4)基於任何其他理由而可要求在保護證人計劃下接受保護或其他協助的人；或(5) 因為與上文所述的人有關係或聯繫而可要求在保護證人計劃下接受保護或其他協助的人：《證人保護條例》（第564章）第2條。證人包括其書面陳述已根據第81A條獲接納為證據的人：《裁判官條例》（第227章）第84(4)條。證人提供的證據通常僅為事實而非事實的推論，或其自身的意見或信念。但證人可能被要求基於（例如）良好品質的一般聲譽發表意見：R v Rowton (1865) 10 Cox CC 25 (CCR))。 3.觀察法律文件如遺囑的簽署，並確認作出觀察，且以見證人的身份在該文件上加上自己的簽名。有效的遺囑須由2名或2名以上的見證人同時在立遺囑人面前，作見證並簽署遺囑：《遺囑條例》（第30章）第5(1)(d)條。每一名見證人應能真實地說他曾目睹立遺囑人簽署該文件（Brown v Skirrow [1902] P 3）但他或她無須知道文件為立遺囑人的遺囑（Re Gibson [1949] P 434, 2 All ER 90）。沒有法定條文禁止任何人作遺囑見證。但一名盲目一般是沒有能力可作遺囑見證，因為僅僅出席而不具視覺能力，不足夠使某人成為一些可見東西，如遺囑上的簽名的證人：Re Gibson [1949] P 434, 2 All ER 90。見證人可以任何足以識別他為遺囑見證人的模式在遺囑上簽名：Re Cook, Murison v Cook [1960] 1 All ER 689, 1 WLR 353。因此雖然沒有名字，但對見證人充足的描述便是足夠的描述 （Re Sperling (1863) 3 Sw & Tr 272），就算是在錯誤的名字上簽名（Re Olliver (1854) 2 Ecc & Ad 57），只要簽名的意圖是展示作出簽名的人，而非展示另一人為實際見證人（Re Leverington (1886) 11 PD 8）。另見 Attestation; Beneficiary witness; Formalities; Supernumerary witness。n. |
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