85. Offences by body corporate

85. Offences by body corporate

(1) if a body corporate commits an offence under this Act or its subsidiary legislation, any person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a director, partner, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or was purporting to act in any such capacity or was in any manner or to any extent responsible for the management of any of the affairs of the body corporate or was assisting in such management-

   (a) may be charged severally or jointly in the same proceedings with the body corporate; and

   (b) if the body corporate is found guilty of the offence, shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence unless, having regard to the nature of his functions in that capacity and to all circumstances, he proves-

(i) that the offence was committed without his knowledge, consent or connivance; and

(ii) that he had taken all reasonable precautions and exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.

(2) if any person would be liable under this Act or its subsidiary legislation to any punishment or penalty for his act, omission, neglect or default, he shall be liable to the same punishment or penalty for every such act, omission, neglect or default of any employee or agent of his, or of the employee of the agent, if the act, omission, neglect or default was committed-

    (a) by that person's employee in the course of his employment;

    (b) by the agent when acting on behalf of that person; or

    (c) by the employee of the agent in the course of his employment by the agent or otherwise on behalf of the agent acting on behalf of that person.