XN000022-1982-10-14 — Page 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1982

OUTCOME OF HEI WAH BUILDING INCIDENTS ENQUIRY

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ON THE EVENING OF JULY 2, THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT IN CONNECTION WITH AN ALLEGED FRAUD INVESTIGATION, A DISTURBANCE OCCURRED WHEN ABOUT 90 EMPLOYEES OF A NEIGHBOURING COMPANY, WHO WERE NOT INVOLVED IN THE POLICE INVESTIGATION, LEFT THE HE WAH BUILDING, LOCKHART ROAD, WANCHAI OUTSIDE WHICH ABOUT 50 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA WERE GATHERED. A SECOND INCIDENT ON A SMALLER SCALE, AGAIN INVOLVING EMPLOYEES OF THIS COMPANY AND REPORTERS, OCCURRED ON THE FOLLOWING EVENING.

THE INCIDENT ON JULY 2 RESULTED IN SEVEN PRIVATE CITIZENS, INCLUDING A MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE, BEING CHARGED WITH FIGHTING IN A PUBLIC PLACE. TWO PERSONS WERE CHARGED WITH ASSAULT UPON A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEDIA IN RESPECT OF THE INCIDENT ON JULY 3. IN THE FIRST CASE, SIX PERSONS WERE FOUND BY THE COURT TO HAVE NO CASE TO ANSWER AND THE SEVENTH WAS ACQUITTED. THE SECOND CASE RESULTED IN BOTH THE DEFENDANTS BEING CONVICTED. ONE WAS FINED $600, THE OTHER $400, AND BOTH WERE ORDERED TO PAY $250 COMPENSATION TO THE VICTIM.

AS A RESULT OF ALLEGATIONS WHICH APPEARED IN THE PRESS AND ON TELEVISION, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE DIRECTED THE FORCE COMPLAINTS AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS BRANCH TO UNDERTAKE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE POLICE HANDLING OF THE INCIDENTS, AND ADDITIONALLY INTO SUGGESTIONS THAT SERVING POLICE OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN THE COMPANY BEING INVESTIGATED.

THE ENQUIRY HAS CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE DEFICIENCIES IN PLANNING THE OPERATION, AND IN THE EXECUTION OF THE WARRANT. RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE INCLUDING PROPOSALS FOR A REVIEW OF PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE MOUNTING OF SUCH OPERATIONS. IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS A NEED FOR CLOSER LIAISON BETWEEN SPECIALIST UNITS AND LOCAL FORMATIONS.

WITH REGARD TO ALLEGATIONS OF A LACK OF POLICE PROTECTION FOR MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE POLICE WOULD ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO PREVENT BREACHES OF THE PEACE AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ANY PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE PRESENCE OF A LARGE GROUP OF THE MEDIA ATTEMPTING TO INTERVIEW A LARGE NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO WERE NOT CONNECTED WITH THE INVESTIGATION AND WHO DID NOT WISH TO BE INTERVIEWED RESULTED IN DISORDER.

THE INCIDENT ON JULY 3 INVOLVED THE MISTAKEN ARREST AND HANDCUFFING OF A REPORTER. THOROUGH INVESTIGATION HAS, HOWEVER, CONCLUDED THAT THE POLICE OFFICER CONCERNED ACTED IN GOOD FAITH AND REASONABLY, UPON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO HIM AT THE TIME.

THE ENQUIRY INTO THE INCIDENTS AND THE FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATIONS ON BOTH EVENINGS INDICATE THAT THERE WERE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE POLICE HANDLING OF THEM AND IN THE LEVEL OF SUPERVISION EXERCISED. ACTION IS BEING TAKEN ON THESE MATTERS BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

FINALLY, WITH