SECTION 314 — Forgery

(1) Whoever forges or alters, whether in its substance or in the signatures of the parties or witnesses or in its date, any private document having the effect of an obligation, discharge or disposition shall be punished with imprisonment for from 3 (three) to 8 (eight) years and with fine of from CFAF 50 000 (fifty thousand) to CFAF (one million). (2) The penalty shall be imprisonment for from 5 (five) to 10 (ten) years and with fine of from CFAF 100 000 (one hundred thousand) to CFAF 2 000 000 (two million) where the document is: a) commercial or bank paper; or b) evidence of a right in land; or c) a power to sign any document described by subsection (a) or (b); or d) a will. (3) Whoever makes use of: a) any document described in this section; or b) of an expired document of like nature representing it to be still be effective; or c) of a document of like nature referring to another person of whom he passes himself off- shall be punished in like manner as if he had forged the document. 116 a) a physician or surgeon save within the scope of a commission from the prosecution or of his reference as an expert referee b) a public servant under orders in writing from the Government: c) a minister of religion or counsel (4) Upon conviction the Court may order the forfeitures described by Section 30 of this Code.