XN000022-1992-01-15 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1992

GOVT WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK EXTRADITION OF OSMAN

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO SEEK THE EXTRADITION HONG KONG OF MR LORRAIN OSMAN.

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IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY MR JIMMY MCGREGOR, MR MATHEWS NOTED THAT MR OSMAN FACED CHARGES OF A SERIOUS NATURE.

"AS I SAID IN THIS COUNCIL ON MAY 30, 1990, IT IS MR OSMAN'S OWN USE OF THE APPEAL CHANNEL WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS BEING PROLONGED,

11 HE SAID.

HABEAS CORPUS WAS

MR OSMAN'S SIXTH APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF FOUND TO BE AN ABUSE OF PROCESS AND DISMISSED BY THE DIVISIONAL COURT IN ENGLAND ON NOVEMBER 14 LAST YEAR.

HIS APPLICATION TO THE DIVISIONAL COURT FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS WAS REJECTED ON NOVEMBER 28 LAST YEAR.

ON DECEMBER 11 LAST YEAR, HE FILED A PETITION IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE LORDS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

IT CANNOT BE PREDICTED AT THIS STAGE AS TO WHEN MR OSMAN WILL BE RETURNED TO HONG KONG OR WHAT FURTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS HE MAY BRING, MR MATHEWS SAID.

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MILLION.

THE COST SO FAR OF THE EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS IS ABOUT $15.8

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AWARDED COSTS IN A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND APPEALS BROUGHT BY MR OSMAN, INCLUDING THE SIX HABEAS CORPUS PROCEEDINGS, AND THAT STRENUOUS EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO RECOVER THOSE COSTS,

"MR OSMAN IS CO-ACCUSED WITH MR GEORGE TAN IN RESPECT OF SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION ARISING OUT OF FUNDING OF THE CARRIAN GROUP BY BUMIPUTRA MALAYSIA FINANCE LIMITED.

IN ORDER FÖR THEM TO BE TRIED JOINTLY, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE MR OSMAN RETURNED TO HONG KONG, MR MATHEWS SAID.

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