Section 249Part 9 — Offences Relating to Property
Evasion of liability by deception, etc.
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249. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person who, by any deception —
dishonestly secures the remission of the whole or any part of any existing liability to make a payment, whether that person’s own liability or another person’s liability;
with intent to make permanent default in whole or in part on any existing liability to make a payment, or with intent to permit another to do so, dishonestly induces the creditor or any person claiming payment on behalf of the creditor to wait for payment (whether or not the due date for payment is deferred) or to forego payment; or
dishonestly obtains any exemption from or abatement of liability to make a payment, commits an offence and is liable —
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for one year; or
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for five years.
In this section — “liability” means a legally enforceable liability, and subsection (1) shall not apply in relation to a liability that has not been accepted or established to pay compensation for a wrongful act or omission. Penal Code (2026 Revision) Section 250 c Revised as at 31st December, 2025 Page 111
In paragraph (b) of subsection (1), a person induced to take in payment a cheque or other security for money by way of conditional satisfaction of a pre-existing liability is to be treated as not being paid but as induced to wait for payment.
For the purposes of paragraph (c) of subsection (1), “obtains” includes obtaining for another or enabling another to obtain.