Courts- magistrates' courts- procedure -preliminary investigation -
summary conviction offences - hearing must commence as preliminary
investigation with taking of depositions before conversion to summary
trial under Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance (cap. 201), s. 22:
A magistrate may only try an offence summarily under the Summary
Conviction Offences Ordinance (cap. 201), s. 21, if he follows the
correct procedure, set out in s. 22 of the Ordinance, i.e. he should begin
by taking depositions with a view to committal for trial and when he has
decided to try the case summarily, he should call upon the accused to
plead, inform him of his decision to try the case summarily, and inform
him of his right to recall witnesses for cross-examination.