TNAG-0407-FCO40-453-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 82

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential. Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

..In Confidence

DRAFT LETTER

To:-

Mr A Ellis

20 Bishops Close Ham Common Richmond Surrey

Type 1 +

FROM

Mr A Royle

MP for Richmond

Telephone No. Ext.

Department

I have received your telegram of 13 August

about the Godber case.

As you know, Mr Godber has been charged in

Hong Kong under Section 10 of the Prevention of

Bribery Ordinance. This section makes it an offence

for a public servant to be in possession of

pecuniary resources disproportionate to his official

emoluments, unless he can give a satisfactory

explanation. There is, however, no similar offence

under United Kingdom law. Extradition of fugitive

offenders from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong is

regulated by Act of Parliament namely the Fugitive

Offenders Act 1967, and can only be effected in

accordance with the provisions of that Act. The

Act provides that a person may not be extradited

from Britain for an offence unless that offence is

also an offence under United Kingdom law.

Consequently Mr Godber cannot be extradited unless

the Hong Kong authorities/can produce evidence of

an extraditable offence, jeg the actual taking of a

this evidence is lacking

bribe. So far,

though it

Sunderstand it,

is being energetically sought.