WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1993
MR WOOD REMINDED HIS
AUDIENCE THAT EVERY ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CONSTANTLY IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND THEIR DECISIONS WERE CAREFULLY BY LEGISLATORS AND THE MEDIA.
PROSECUTIONS DIVISION IN THE
"ANY ONE DECISION OF MINE CAN LEAD TO SOMEONE YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT, ON THE OTHER HAND, SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT BE PROSECUTED.
"NOT ONLY DO WE CONSIDER THE EVIDENCE BUT WE CONSIDER THE MERITS OF THE CASE AND THE OFFENDER.
MEMBER OF THE CHAMBERS WAS MONITORED VERY
SERVING MANY HAS OFFENDED
ALSO HAVE TO
"WE TRY NOT ΤΟ PROSECUTE THE ELDERLY, THE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY INFIRM OR CHILDREN BUT THERE ARE CASES WHICH ARE SO SERIOUS OR WHERE THE CRIMINAL CONDUCT HAS BEEN REPEATED THAT WE CONSIDER IT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC, AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC, THAT CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS MUST BE TAKEN," HE EXPLAINED.
MR WOOD ASSURED THE PUBLIC THAT IN EVERY CASE THE EVIDENCE WAS CAREFULLY ASSESSED AND WHERE THEY WERE TOLD A WITNESS OR WITNESSES SUFFER FROM DISABILITY THEY SCRUTINISED THEIR EVIDENCE VERY CAREFULLY.
"IT IS A HUGELY RESPONSIBLE TASK BUT WE HAPPILY ACCEPT IT AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR JOB IN PLAYING OUR RLOE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN HONG KONG," HE SAID.
EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR WOOD EXPLAINED THE WORKING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
T
*LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INVESTIGATION OF CRIME, THE QUESTIONING OF SUSPECTS AND COLLECTION
OF EVIDENCE, BUT THEIR FUNCTIONS IN THIS REGARD ARE NOT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THE
"HOWEVER THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF MOST INVESTIGATIONS IS THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS IN COURT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REGULARLY OBTAIN ADVICE FROM THE PROSECUTIONS DIVISION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS DURING INVESTIGATIONS," MR WOOD SAID.
THE DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS SHOULD TAKE PLACE REQUIRED YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS AND THE CONFIDENCE.
THAT WAS WHY IN THE PROSECUTIONS DIVISION, ADVICE AS TO PROSECUTION MUST BE APPROVED BY A SENIOR OFFICER.
"WE NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT BY ADVISING PROSECUTION WE ARE SETTING IN TRAIN A PROCESS WHICH COULD LEAD TO PERSON LOSING HIS LIBERTY, MR WOOD CONCLUDED.
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