TNAG-0812-FCO40-1017-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 139

43

GR 825

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

FM HONG KONG 1109152

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 603 OF 11 MAY 1978.

FOR STEWART HKGD, FROM GOVERNOR,

TOP COR

HKK 380/2 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 40. 51 12 MAY 1978

DESK OJAVIER

INDEX

PA

M B / QE

MY TELNO 586 OF 9 MAY: MRS ELLIOTT'S ALLEGATIONS.

1. THIS TELEGRAM WAS SENT IN SOME HASTE BECAUSE, THOUGH HER LETTER WAS DATED MAY 3, TYPICALLY IT WAS NOT DELIVERED UNTIL THE 8TH WHEN IT ALREADY WAS APPEARING IN THE PRESS, AND WE THOUGHT IT POSSIBLE THAT COPIES WOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO MP'S OR ATTRACTED NOTICE IN THE UK PRESS.

2. THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO TUR TO PUT THINGS A LITTLE MORE IN

PERSPECTIVE. THE OPERATIVE PART OF MRS ELLIOTT'S LETTER STARTS

** THE VAST MAJORITY OF PRISONERS TO WHOM WE SPOKE ADMITTED THAT THEY WERE GUILTY, WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY, OF THE CRIMES FOR WHICH THEY HAD BEEN IMPRISONED: NEVERTHELESS, A GOOD PROPORTION CLAIMED THEY HAD BEEN WRONGLY CONVICTED. AFTER MAKING DUE ALLOWANCES FOR POSSIBLE UNTRUTHFULNESS, I CANNOT BUT BE CONCERNED AND APPRENNENSIVE

3. AS MR CRANE HAS POINTED OUT IN CONNECTION WITH POLICE ALLEG-

ATIONS AGAINST ICAC, A DEFENCE OF COERCION OR FRAME-UP IS OFTEN

THE ONLY DEFENCE OPEN TO A DEFENDANT AND IS CONSEQUENTLY VERY

FREQUENTLY MADE.

4. ENQUIRIES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN

PROMPTED BY MRS ELLIOTT IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE AG OR MYSELF, AND SOME BY THE AG OR CP, HAVE LEFT US WITH AN UNEASY FEELING THAT

SOME CASES OF FRAMING OR COERCION PROBABLY DO OCCUR THOUGH

WHETHER OF BASICALLY GUILTY OR INNOCENT PEOPLE IT IS VERY HARD

TO SAY (AND IN ANY CASE IRRELEVANT).

15. WHILE

CONFIDENTIAL