TNAG-0405-FCO40-451-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 57

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(g) failure to order Godber to report to the police

regularly at suitable intervals. Alternatively, to agree to a named police officer making personal contact

with him at suitable intervals.

(h) poor standard of police security at the land/air barrier

at the Airport.

(i) the failure of everyone who was aware of irs. Godber's

departure to appreciate the significance of this fact

inferences.

and to inform Ir. Dawson at once.

The facts are not really in dispute; and I have set them out as fully as I can. The public will no doubt draw their own

Indeed, as I have said, before this inquiry began, views were expressed in certain nows media that Godbcr's departure from Hong Kong was "fixed". I have already said that there was not a scrap of evidence to suggest that any person assisted Godber to leave Hong Kong by any positive act. Indeed all the evidence indicates that he did not seek, nor was he given, nor did he need,

any active assistance. But I suppose the suggestion is that, in a negative way, he was assisted by the very fact that the authorities failed to take any of the measures which, looking at the matter in retrospect, I have suggested could, and should, have been taken; and that this was all a deliberate plan involving the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, the officers of the Anti-Corruption Office, the Commander, Kowloon District, the Div. Superintendent Kowloon City Division, the Attorney General and his assistant or perhaps

some of them.

Agar

I am totally unable to subscribe to this view. Never for a moment during this inquiry did I have any reason to doubt the honesty and integrity of these officers. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the intention was to arrest Godber and bring him

before the courts on 11th June.

The cause of this tragic mix-up was the failure on the part of all concerned with the investigation to appreciate fully the dangerous situation which was created by the fact that the Attorney General was forced by law to permit Godber to retain his liberty for a period after he (Godber) knew the full strength of the prosecution evidence and had every reason to make the most