PENAL CODE of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste TITLE V CRIMES OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE Article 278. Perjury or providing false information 1. Any person who is called to depose as party to a legal proceeding, and provides false information regarding acts on which he or she is to depose, after having taken an oath and having been warned of the criminal consequences arising from such an act, is punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine. 2. The same penalty shall apply to suspects or defendants regarding statements on their identity and criminal record. 3. If any person is deprived of liberty as a consequence of the perpetrator committing any of the acts described above, the same is punishable with 2 to 8 years imprisonment. Article 279. Bearing false witness, providing false expert opinion, interpretation or translation 1. Any person who, acting as a witness, expert, technician, translator or interpreter before a court or competent official that is to receive any statement, report, information or translation as evidence, and provides a false statement, reports, information or translation, is punishable with up to 4 years imprisonment or a fine. 2. The same penalty shall apply to any person who, without just cause, refuses to make a statement, present a report, information or translation. 3. If the perpetrator commits the act referred to in subarticle 1 after having taken an oath and having been warned of the criminal consequences arising from such an act, the penalty is up to 5 years imprisonment. 4. If any person is deprived of liberty as a consequence of the perpetrator committing any of the acts described above, the same is punishable with 2 to 8 years imprisonment. Article 280. Equivalence to desistance Repentance or retraction on the part of the perpetrator who has committed any of the acts described in the preceding article before the effects of the falsity have been considered in the ruling or caused loss to another person, is equivalent to desistance. Article 281. Bribery 1. Any person who persuades or attempts to persuade another person by means of a gift or promise of material or other gain to practice any of the acts referred to in articles 278 or 279 is punishable with up to 4 years imprisonment or a fine, if such an act is committed. 2. Whenever the acts referred to in articles 278 and 279 do not actually occur, the perpetrator is punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine. Article 282. Denial of justice 1. Any official who, within the scope of a procedural inquiry or court proceeding regarding a disciplinary matter or contravention, wilfully decides or fails to decide, promotes or fails to promote, investigates or fails to investigate, or to practice any act in performance of his or her duties, that is against justice, is punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine. 72