· 36 -
arrested before 11th June.
Would any normal wife not have
felt compelled to remain beside her husband to comfort him
in his hour of need? Even if the disgrace of his arrest was
going to prove too much for her, why not leave Hong Kong on,
say, the 12th June thereby having at least a few more days
with her husband and having the opportunity to complete the
packing of their household effects?
When questioned by the Commission, the Lloyds saw
nothing in this approach. They saw nothing suspicious in Mrs. Godber leaving, and leaving in such a hurry. It appears
also that although Godber, during the search of his premises
on 4th June, had talked to his solicitor about resigning from
the service not retiring Mr. Gunston was quite certain that Godber used the word "resign"] and although he had asked
Mr. Gunston for his advice as to the effect of the Fugitive
Offenders Act, according to the evidence of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd,
Godber said nothing to them which gave either of them any idea that he was about to leave Hong Kong.
There is nothing in Godber's letter of 10th June to Mr. Lloyd ("H" attached) which throws a different light on this
aspect of the matter; and I am inclined to think that although
Mr. Lloyd may have had his suspicions that Godber might leave
Hong Kong before 11th June, Godber never actually said to his
friend in so many words that this was his intention. If he had done so, Mr. Lloyd's clear duty to the Force and to the public would have been to inform his superiors immediately. His public duty came before personal friendship; and Godber, as an experienced
police officer, must have realised all that. He would never have
placed his friend in such an intolerable position.
If, however, Ir. Lloyd was merely vaguely suspicious, was he duty-bound to communicate his suspicions to his superiors
in the Force? Ir. Lloyd said that he never for one moment thought
that Godber was not under surveillance and that no matter what
Godber did, his movements would be observed by members of the police. It would appear therefore that finding himself in a most embarrassing situation having to balance his personal friendship with Godber against what probably did not amount to more than a