TNAG-0406-FCO40-452-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 123

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It might not have been effective. On the other hand, I cannot bring myself to believe that it could not possibly have served any useful purpose; and I can well imagine the reaction of any officer connected with the case upon receiving a report from a surveillance officer at, say 11 a.n. on 8th June that Godber had been seen entering the office of a travel agency at 10 a.m.

that day!

Not only should some attempt have been made to keep Godber under surveillance. I think that Mrs. Godber should also

have been kept under some surveillance.

True, she had committed

no offence. But neither had Godber. By the evening of 4th June,

it was clear that the 4.3 million was held in accounts in various

It did banks overseas in the joint names of Godber and his wife. not necessarily follow from this that she was privy to his activities. But there was ground for suspecting that she was. Surely what mattered was that, owing to this peculiar provision in our law, a man who was in possession of tremendous financial resources (jointly with his wife) and who, in all probability, would be

He knew arrested on 11th June, was at liberty for a whole week. that the police had a strong case against him. He had every incentive to leave Hong Kong. In all probability, he would not go leaving his wife behind; but once she left, Godber had everything to gain and nothing to lose by attempting to follow her.

The effect which knowledge of her departure would have produced on police thinking is illustrated by r. Dawson's evidence. He frankly admitted that, if he had been told that irs. Godber

had left Hong Kong on 7th June, this would have had a very considerable effect on him, and that he might well have taken some further action.

This was said in relation to the situation in which the Lloyds found themselves on 6th and 7th June. Ir. Dawson said in evidence that it was r. Lloyd's duty to have informed him or Mr. Horrin as soon as he knew that Irs. Godber was going to leave Hong Kong. What I found so suspicious about Irs. Godber's departure was the speed with which the Godbers made up their minds that she

must leave Hong Kong at once.

accounts, a devoted couple. was only half completed.

After all, they were, from all

The packing of their household effects At the worst, he could not have been