CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 528
D
Miss Bliss
Please copy
も
& SEAD
then pa.
(Mr. Rickers), Nelos Mrow Yes.
OF 020801Z APRIL 93
YRTELNO 302: LORRAIN OSMAN
posta
Is this what
You needed?
not
214.
130510
MDHIAN 5773
1. OSMAN IS PRESENTLY REMANDED IN GAOL CUSTODY UNTIL MAY 1993 WHILE PREPARATIONS CONTINUE IN RELATION TO HIS TRIAL. AT THIS STAGE THE CASE REMAINS IN THE MAGISTRATES' COURT PENDING TRANSFER TO THE HIGH COURT.
2. THE WHOLE OF APRIL HAS BEEN SET ASIDE TO ALLOW THE EVIDENCE OF MALAYSIAN WITNESSES, WHO WILL NOT ATTEND THE TRIAL IN HONG KONG, TO BE TAKEN ON COMMISSION IN THE COURTS IN KUALA LUMPUR. OSMAN IS REPRESENTED IN THOSE PROCEEDINGS BY LEADING COUNSEL FROM LONDON. ARRANGEMENTS ARE ALSO BEING MADE TO TAKE EVIDENCE ON COMMISSION FROM WITNESSES IN SWITZERLAND AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.
3. WE HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION TO BRING THE CASE ON FOR TRIAL IN THE HIGH COURT, IF NOT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR THEN IN THE VERY EARLY PART OF NEXT YEAR.
4. WE INTEND TO MAKE USE OF THE COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CRIMES ORDINANCE SO AS TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS OF TRANSFER FROM THE MAGISTRACY TO THE HIGH COURT. WE ARE ADVISED BY OUR OWN LEADING COUNSEL THAT TRANSFER IS ONLY APPROPRIATE ONCE THE IMPORTANT OVERSEAS EVIDENCE IS IN PLACE.
5. YOU WILL KNOW THAT OVER THE YEARS EXTENSIVE INTEREST HAS BEEN EXPRESSED IN THIS CASE BY A NUMBER OF INFLUENTIAL POLITICIANS. OUR INVARIABLE PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO DECLINE TO COMMENT AS THE MATTERS RAISED HAVE TOUCHED UPON ISSUES WHICH WERE ARE WERE LIKELY TO BECOME ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED BY THE COURTS. WE SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THE PROGRESS OF THE TRANSFER PROCEEDINGS AND LIKELY TRAIL DATES ARE SIMILARLY ISSUES WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BE THE SUBJECT OF VARIOUS APPLICATIONS TO DIFFERENT COURTS IN HONG KONG. WE SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING REPLY TO PETER BOTTOMLEY:
'THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF
MR OSMAN IS PRESENTLY
RF
HKCD 384/3
05 APR 1993
REMANDED IN GAOL CUSTODY UNTIL MAY 1993
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