TNAG-0410-FCO40-456-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 118

GRPS 420

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

(HKK 14/17)

311

FM F.C.O. €11821Z

CONFIDENTIAL

(siz

TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO.1107 OF 1 NOVEMBER.

FOLLOWING FROM HKLOD

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION:

EXTRADITION OF GODBER

1. MR JAMES JOHNSON MP HAS TADLED THE FOLLOWING PARLIAMENTARY

QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER ON WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER:

DEGIS:

TO ACK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, WHAT REQUEST HE HAS RECEIVED RELATING TO THE EXTRADITION OF MR GODBER, A FORMER POLICEMAN TO HONG KONG: AND WHAT REPLY HE HAS GIVEN: AND IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT.

ENDS.

2. WE ARE PROPOSING THE FOLLOWING ANSWER:

BEGINS:

MR GODBER HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH A RELEVANT OFFENCE UNDER

THE PROVISIONS OF THE FUGITIVE OFFENDERS ACT 1967. NO REQUEST

FOR HIS RETURN UNDER THE ACT HAS THEREFORE BEEN RECEIVED,

ENDS.

3. THE QUESTION 13 LIKELY TO BE REACHED. WE ARE THEREFORE

PROPOSING THE FOLLOWING NOTES FOR SUPPLEMENTARIES:

(A) THE BLAIR-KERR REPORT RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT. THE GOVERNMENT HAS REPRESENTED TO ME THE STRONG FEELINGS ON THIS

SUBJECT IN HONG KONG.

(B) WE ARE CONSIDERING THE WHOLE QUESTION BUT THERE ARE CONSIDERADLE DIFFICULTIES, PARTICULARLY ABOUT RETROSPECTIVE

AMENDMENT.

(C) CODDER CAN BE RETURNED TO HONG KONG IF EVIDENCE OF A RETURNABLE OFFENCE CAN BE FOUND. THE HONG KONG POLICE ARE WORKING

HARD ON THIS,

(D) SECTION 10 OF THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY ORDINANCE WAS AGREED BECAUSE OF THE PARTICULAR SITUATION IN HONG KONG, RECENT EVENTS HAVE SHOWN THAT IT IS NEEDED. CONFIDENTIAL

KE): 1 SUPPORT