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(b)
obtain legal advice before exercising his power of dismissal. Nothing further has been heard about these proposals.
Guilt
The
When the Commissioner of Police reported to the then Governor in 1962 the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings against Sergeant Chu, he made it clear that he realised that the evidence against the Sergeant, based as it was on the
statements of four men who were themselves accused and in the
nature of accomplices, had to be regarded with extreme
caution. He nevertheless stated that he considered the
evidence to be convincing beyond any reasonable doubt. Governor has made it clear (see Annex 2) that in Hong Kong
no doubt is or has ever been entertained about the Sergeant's guilt. If this fact could be emphasised to Messrs. Royle and/ or Jenkin and supported by such facts as are available, it
might persuade them that no injustice has been done. They
are perhaps more likely to be impressed in this manner than
by mention of the undoubted political difficulties which
would lie in the way of granting any form of redress to Sergeant Chu if there were doubt about his guilt (see (c) below).
(c) Remedial Difficulties
The Governor's letter or 6 April, 1968 (Annex 2) sets
out in detail the difficulties which would be involved if
it were decided to grant Sergeant Chu any ex gratia payment.
Messrs. Jenkin and Royle are generally aware of these problems but they would probably find it difficult to accept that nothing could be done for Sergeant Chu if it were conceded
that his dismissal from the Force had constituted an
injustice in the first place.
Hong Kong Department 16 October, 1968
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