Composition of offences.

(1) Any offence punishable under S. 26, S. 27, S. 28, S. 30, S. 33, S. 38, or S. 40 and other than a second or a subsequent offence under S. 26 or 28 may either before or after the institution of the prosecution, be compounded by the Administrator on payment of such sum as the Administrator thinks fit. (2) On payment by the offender of such sum, the offender, if in custody, shall be set at liberty and if any proceedings in any criminal court have been instituted against the offender in respect of the offence, the composition shall be deemed to amount to an acquittal and no further criminal proceedings shall be taken against him in respect of such offence.