9Punishment of persons taking fees not allowed

9 Punishment of persons taking fees not allowed

*[Section 9 Amended by 25 Geo. V No. 78 ]*If the Sheriff, or any other officer or minister acting in the execution of civil process directed to the Sheriff, or engaged or concerned therein, extorts, demands, takes, accepts, or receives from any person any fee or fees, gratuity or reward, not allowed by law, or greater in amount than is allowed by law, he shall, upon complaint thereof made against him to the Supreme Court, on proof being made thereof upon oath, either by the examination of witnesses viva voce or on affidavits, or on interrogatories, to the satisfaction of the Court, that such Sheriff, officer, or minister, as the case may be, has offended therein as aforesaid, be adjudged guilty of a contempt of the said Court, and be punished accordingly; and if any person, not being such officer or minister as aforesaid, assumes or pretends to act as such, and extorts, demands, takes, accepts, or receives any fee, gratuity, or reward, under colour or pretext of such office, he shall, on like complaint and proof, be in that respect dealt with by the Court in like manner.