XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

+FIRST OF ALL, WITNESSES MUST BE GIVEN SUITABLE PROTECTION AND THE RELEVANT PROPOSALS IN THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT MUST BE IMPLEMENTED.

+SECONDLY, THE POLICE MUST MAKE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AND REINFORCE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PUBLIC IN THEM, + SHE SAID.

POINTING OUT THAT THE POLICE CONSTITUTED THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTOR IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TRIAD SOCIETIES, MRS FAN SAID THEY REQUIRED MORE FORCEFUL SUPPORT IN LEGISLATION AND MORE EFFECTIVE PROCEDURES IN ORDER THAT THEY COULD TAKE MORE EFFECTIVE AND FASTER ACTION.

AS FOR THE FEAR OF POSSIBLE ABUSE OF POWER, SHE SAID IF THE POLICE MAINTAINED THEIR EXISTING POWERS, IT WAS VERY DOUBTFUL WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE TRIAD PROBLEM, WHICH WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE SERIOUS.

THE POLICE SHOULD THEREFORE BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT POWER TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT IN CASE OF ANY ABUSE OF POWER, POLICE OFFICERS MUST BE SEVERELY PUNISHED, SHE ADDED.

SHE SAID MANY CITIZENS FERVENTLY HOPED THAT JUDICIAL OFFICERS WOULD ALSO PASS A HEAVY SENTENCE ON LAW ENFORCERS WHO VIOLATED THE LAW THEMSELVES.

MRS FAN ALSO SUPPORTED IMPOSING HEAVIER SENTENCES ON CONVICTED TRIAD MEMBERS, AS PROPOSED IN THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT,

+I FURTHER HOPE THAT HONG KONG'S JUDICIAL OFFICERS WILL NOT BE TOO LENIENT IN PASSING SENTENCES.

+LENIENCY TOWARDS TRIAD MEMBERS IS CRUELTY TOWARDS LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, SHE SAID.

ON OTHER JUDICIAL MEASURES, MRS FAN SAID THERE WAS A NEED TO EXAMINE THE RACKETEER INFLUENCED CORRUPT ORGANISATIONS (RICO) STATUTE AND TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT WAS POSSIBLE TO INSCRIBEĖ

ITS SPIRIT IN HONG KONG LAWS.

SHE EXPLAINED THAT THIS AMERICAN STATUTE ENABLED THE PROSECUTION TO PRESENT A FULL PICTURE OF ORGANISED CRIME TO THE COURT SO THAT THE LATTER COULD HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT CRIMES INVOLVED, AS WELL AS THE EXTENT OF

INVOLVEMENT.

+EXISTING CRIMINAL LAW RULES IN HONG KONG GENERALLY RESULT IN VARIOUS CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST AN ACCUSED PERSON TO BE TRIED SEPARATELY, AND THE COURT WILL CONSIDER EACH CHARGE IN INSOLATION,

/+THE DEFECT