Power to conduct preliminary inquiryN.I.
31.—(1) If the prosecution requests a magistrates' court to conduct a preliminary inquiry and the accused does not object to such an inquiry, a magistrates' court, instead of conducting a preliminary investigation, may conduct a preliminary inquiry into an indictable offence.
(2) If the prosecution does not request the court to conduct a preliminary inquiry[F1 or if] the accused objects to such an inquiry the court shall conduct a preliminary investigation.
(3) Where two or more persons are charged together with an indictable offence and—
(a)one or more of those persons objects to the conducting of a preliminary inquiry, but
(b)the other person or persons do not so object,
the court may proceed to conduct such an inquiry in respect of any such person not so objecting unless any person so objecting satisfies the court that his interests would be unduly or unreasonably prejudiced by the conduction of such inquiry.