XN000022-1980-05-28 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1980

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DURING THE YEAR, 2 298 INVESTIGATION REPORTS, COVERING 2 881 SEPARATE POINTS OF COMPLAINT, WERE EXAMINED. A TOTAL OF 370 POINTS WERE FOUND +SUBSTANTIATED+, AND A FURTHER 212 WERE CLASSIFIED AS +NOT PROVEN MEANING THAT CAREFUL INVESTIGATION HAD FAILED TO ADDUCE FACTS TO WARRANT CLASSIFICATION AS +SUBSTANTIATED+ OR +UNSUBSTANTIATED. +

+POSITIVE ACTION, RANGING FROM THE INSTITUTION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION, TO ADVICE AND WARNINGS, WAS TAKEN IN RESPECT OF 312 POLICE OFFICERS HARD EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH THE GROUP AND CAPO,+ MR DAVIES SAID.

IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF 1 779 POINTS OF COMPLAINT WERE CLASSIFIED AS UNSUBSTANTIATED, A FURTHER 22 WERE MALICIOUS AND 498 WERE WITHDRAWN.

+ IN PONDERING THESE FIGURES AND ESPECIALLY THE NUMBER CLASSIFIED AS UNSUBSTANTIATED, MR DAVIES SAID, +ONE MUST REMEMBER THAT BEFORE ANY ACTION CAN BE TAKEN IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVE THAT THE COMPLAINT IS WELL FOUNDED.+

+WHERE, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, IT IS ONE MAN'S WORD AGAINST ANOTHER'S THIS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DO. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE TASK OF ANY INVESTIGATOR TO ASCERTAIN THE TRUTH IS NOT EASY.

→THIS PROBLEM OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHO THE INVESTIGATOR MAY BE, OR OF THE SERVICE OR FORCE FROM WHICH HE IS DRAWN. IN COMING TO HIS CONCLUSION, ANY INVESTIGATOR CAN ONLY SIFT THE EVIDENCE AND MEASURE IT AGAINST THE CREDIBILITY OF THOSE INVOLVED, MR DAVIES SAID.

ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW UPDATED

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HONG KONG'S ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW IS BEING AMENDED TO GIVE IT MORE DETERRENT EFFECTS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980, MR GRIFFITHS SAID IT IS NOW SOME FOUR YEARS SINCE THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY ORDINANCE WAS LAST SUBJECT TO A MAJOR REVIEW.

+IN THAT TIME THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION HAS FOUND THAT SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE HAVE LIMITATIONS WHICH MILITATE AGAINST THE PROPER PERFORMANCE OF ITS DUTIES, HE SAID.

THE BILL PROPOSES TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES SUBSTANTIALLY FOR THE MORE SERIOUS CORRUPTION OFFENCES IN VIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION AND THE VERY CONSIDERABLE REWARDS THAT CORRUPTION BRINGS.

/IT ALSO

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