CO885-(15-16) — Page 196

13733.

No. 138A.

(NORTHERN NIGERIA.)

LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.

[Method of dealing with the men convicted of the murder of Captain Keyes.]

We think that before these men are given up, explicit assurances ought to be ob tained from the French Government on two points

:-

1. That these men will be tried by the French in West Africa at some place con- venient for the necessary witnesses. If the trial took place in France or at some remote spot in French West Africa, there might be a failure of justice from want of evidence.

2. There ought further to be an assurance that the French Government are advised by their legal experts that the sentence in British territory will be no bar to a prosecution in French territory, i.e., that no plea of what here would be called autrefois convict would be admissible.

If these conditions be complied with we think that the men may be given up and an Ordinance passed ruling that their surrender was the result of mistake, and that the French Government have undertaken that they shall be tried before the proper French tribunal and enacting that the proceedings shall be annulled.

April 7th, 1902.

R. B. F. E. C.

13733.

SIR,

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Foreign Office, April 9, 1902.

WITH reference to previous correspondence, terminating with your letter of the 2nd instant, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you, herewith, to be laid before Mr. Secretary Chamberlain, copy of a Note which was received on the 3rd instant from the French Minister at this Court, relative to the case of the murder of Captain Keyes.

The terms of this communication were subsequently considered by the Law Officers of the Crown in conference with the Legal Assistant Under Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Legal Adviser to this Department, and I am now to enclose you a copy of an opinion which has been received from the Law Officers on the present position of the case.

A copy of the Note which has, in consequence, been addressed to Monsieur Geoffray is also enclosed.

Enclosure.

I am, &c.,

F. H. VILLIERS.

M. GEOFFRAY to the MARQUESS OF Lansdowne,

MONSIEUR LE Marquis,

Londres, le 1 Avril, 1902.

POUR répondre au désir exprimé par Votre Seigneurie à Monsieur Cambon au course de ses récents entretiens sur l'affaire des trois français détenus à Jebba pour le meurtre d'un officier Anglais à Argoungou je suis chargé de Lui donner les indications suivantes sur la situation dans laquelle ils se trouveront placés aux yeux de l'administra- tion française après qu'ils lui auront été restitués conformément à sa demande :

Ces inculpés ayant été livrés aux autorités de la Nigéria par un fonctionnaire nou 12086-25-6/1902 Wt 2757 D & S G

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TN

C.O. 8

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

885

15 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON