XN000022-1973-07-26 — Page 5

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Thursday, July 26, 1973

GOVERNOR COMMENDS POLICE OFFICERS FOR BRINGING GODBER CASE TO LIGHT

The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, this evening commended Senior

Police Officers and the Anti-Corruption Branch for their work in bringing the

Godber case to light.

"It is a thousand pities that Godber got away, but I would not

wish it to be forgotten that unless the Police had taken determined action

to produce evidence against Godber this case would never have been uncovered,"

Sir lurray said.

"From the moment that the Commissioner of Police received information

concerning Godber, Mr. Sutcliffe, Mr. Dawson and the Anti-Corruption Branch

have pursued the case against him with vigour and expertise. I fully support

Sir Alastair's view that there can be no doubt of the determination of the

Police to bring this case to trial," the Governor said.

"Since Godber's departure the Police have continued their efforts;

they, and the Legal Department, are doing everything they possibly can to

uncover evidence which will enable us to bring Godber back to Hong Kong. I

appeal to anyone with such evidence to serve the community by coming forward,"

the Governor concluded.

In the Commission's report Sir Alastair rules out any possibility

that senior police officers connived at Godber's departure. Commenting on

this allegation, which had appeared in some newspapers, and on the suggestion

that Godber's disappearance from Hong Kong had been "fixed", Sir Alastair said

there was not a scrap of evidence to suggest that anybody assisted Godber to

leave Hong Kong by any positive act.

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