Testimony of a witness under compulsion is a statement made by a witness under legal obligation to speak truthfully in a legal proceeding. This form of testimony is used to protect the rights of the accused and ensure that the witness is providing an honest account of the events in question. There are two types of testimony of a witness under compulsion: direct and indirect. Direct testimony is a statement made by a witness directly to the court or to a questioning attorney. Indirect testimony is a statement made by a witness to a third party, such as a private investigator, who then reports it to the court. In either case, the witness is legally obligated to tell the truth and may face criminal charges if found to have given false testimony.