1973
(UP TO THE 15TH AUGUST 34 CHARGES HAVE BEEN LAID BEFORE THE COURTS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS GIVEN CONSENT TO PROSECUTE IN Respect of a FURTHER
10 CHARGES UNDER CAP. 201)
Convictions
No. of Persons charged
Police officers
Other Government servants
Members of the public
7 ∞ ∞
5
8
6
(In each case a decision is still
pending.)
8
7
Total
23
18
Persons charged with other
criminal offences:
Members of the public
8
8
Total
| ∞ ||
8
No. of persons referred for possible disciplinary action to 30th April (figures to 15th
August were not available) were:—
Police officers
Other Government servants
22
27
27
Total:
54
74. It has not been possible to obtain an accurate year-by-year break-down of the nature of the charges preferred under Cap. 201; but since 14th May 1971, when the Ordinance came into force, to the 15th August 1973 the Attorney General has given his consent to prosecute 171 charges and these are broken down as follows:-
Under section:
No. of consents:
3 4(1)
4(2)
8(1)
9(1)
9(2) 10(1)
20
29
48
85
4
2
2
1
Total:
171
75. I do not think that much can be deduced from the figures for 1968. All specialized formations (in- cluding the A.C. Office, the Commercial Crimes Office, and the Narcotics Bureau) were affected by the civil disturbances which occured in 1967. However, by 1969 conditions had reverted to normal; and what it all boils down to is that in 1969, there were 80 charges of corruption involving 39 persons and a further 29 persons were prosecuted by the A.C. Office for other offences which came to light as a result of A.C. Office investigations and the cases against a further 139 Government officers were referred to other authorities for possible disciplinary action. In 1970, there were 47 charges of corruption involving 39 persons and a further 31 persons were prosecuted by the A.C. Office for other offences which came to light as a result of A.C. Office investigations and the cases against a further 93 persons were referred to other authorities for possible disciplinary action. In 1971 there were 74 charges of corruption involving 37 persons and a further 31 persons were prosecuted by the A.C. Office for other offences which came to light as a result of A.C. Office investigations and the cases against a further 59 Government officers were referred to other authorities for possible disciplinary action. In 1972 there were 87 charges of corruption involving 48 persons and a further 26 persons were prosecuted for other offences, and the cases against a further 91 Government servants were referred for possible disciplinary action. The same sort of pattern appears to be emerging in respect of the year 1973.
76. I do not think there is any point in attempting to reconcile the figures which I have given with those given by the Target Committee in their annual reports. Statistics maintained by the Anti-Corruption Office, and used by the Target Committee in its reports for the years 1971 and 1972, showing the number of persons prosecuted as a result of investigations conducted by the Office do not differentiate between prosecutions brought
18