258Power of court to grant relief

258 Power of court to grant relief (1) In any proceeding that the Magistrates Court has jurisdiction to hear and decide— (a) the court may grant any relief, redress or remedy that the Supreme Court may grant in a similar action in that court, and for that purpose the Magistrates Court may make any order that the Supreme Court may make; and (b) the court must give effect to any ground of defence, counterclaim or set-off, whether equitable or legal, in the same way and to the same extent that the Supreme Court would do. (2) For the exercise by the Magistrates Court of its powers under subsection (1) in any proceeding— (a) a magistrate constituting the court has, as well as any other powers under this Act, all the powers of a judge in a similar action in the Supreme Court; and (b) the registrar, bailiff or other appropriate officer of the Magistrates Court must exercise any function that a corresponding officer of the Supreme Court would exercise in a similar action in that court in accordance with the practice and procedure of that court. (3) In exercising a function mentioned in subsection (2), the registrar, a bailiff or other officer of the court must comply with this Act, the rules and any order of the Magistrates Court.