!
TEXT OF MESSAGE TO RUSHFORD FROM HONG KONG ATTORNEY GENERAL DATED 13 JANUARY 75
I THINK THAT SCEATS (NOW ASSISTANT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL/ANTI CORRUPTION) SHOULD COME TO LONDON FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH FRENCH. YOU WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME URGENCY. ACCORDINGLY SCEATS WILL LEAVE HONG KONG ON WEDNESDAY EVENING (15TH JANUARY) AND ARRIVE IN
LONDON ON THURSDAY MORNING. HE WILL CALL ON YOU WHEN HE ARRIVES.
2. 1 SHALL BE GLAD IF FRENCH MAY BE INFORMED THAT SCEATS WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. DUE TO PRESSURE OF WORK HERE,
I NEED SCEATS BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND INTEND THAT HE SHOULD LEAVE LONDON NOT LATER THAN TUESDAY, 21ST JANUARY. I AM SORRY THAT I HAVE TO PRESS IN THIS WAY BUT HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE.
3. SCEATS WILL BE BRINGING WITH HIM PROOFS OF EVIDENCE FOR FRENCH'S
CONSIDERATION. HE WILL ALSO WISH TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING PARTICULAR MATTERS AS WELL AS OTHER DETAILS.
1
(A) AMENDMENT OF BOTH THE CORRUPTION AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICULARS OF THE 'ASSISTANCE' GIVEN BY GODBER.
• WE HAVE IN MIND AN ALLEGATION THAT GODBER RECEIVED HK DOLLARS 25,000 FROM
AS A FEE OR REWARD OR OTHERWISE ON ACCOUNT OF
HIS FAVOURING OR FORBEARING FROM DISFAVOURING CHENG IN RELATION TO THE FILLING OF THE POST OF DIVISIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE WANCHAI DIVISION.'' THE CONSPIRACY CHARGE WOULD BE SIMILAR.
(B) THE NEED FOR AN ALTERNATIVE CHARGE OF OBTAINING THE MONEY BY DECEPTION. I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS COURSE IS APPROPRIATE, BUT IT
HAS BEEN MOOTED AS A POSSIBILITY.
(C) THE DESIRABILITY OF CALLING EVIDENCE AS TO GODBER'S WEALTH. OUR VIEW IS THAT SUCH EVIDENCE WILL NOT REALLY HELP AND OUGHT NOT TO BE
CALLED. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE ISSUES IN THE CASE MUST BE KEPT
AS NARROW AS POSSIBLE.
4. WITH RESPECT TO THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 3(A) ABOVE, DO YOU THINK THAT WE SHALL NEED THE HOME SECRETARY'S AGREEMENT TO THE AMENDMENT IF IT IS ADOPTED. I DO NOT THINK SO, BUT YOU MAY THINK THAT THE CHANGE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED AT LEAST. OBVIOUSLY HIS AGREEMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED IF AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE WERE TO BE ADDED.
5. THE TENTATIVE DATE FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE TRIAL IS 17TH FEBRUARY. THIS IS ALRIGHT WITH THE DISTRICT COURT AND US BUT MUST. OF COURSE BE AGREED WITH FRENCH AND SCRIVENER. SCEATS WILL TRY TO SORT THIS OUT WHILE HE IS IN LONDON. GUNSTON HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE DATE AND WILL NO DOUBT BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH SCRIVENER.