SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3406
OF 19113OZ NOVEMBER 90
B
SECRET
105377 MDHIAN 0059
MIPT: COLONIAL PRISONERS REMOVAL ACT : CHARLES WARWICK REID : BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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1. BETWEEN MARCH 1975 AND JANUARY 1990 (WHEN HE WAS DISMISSED IN ABSENTIA), REID WAS EMPLOYED IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. IN FEBRUARY 1983, HE WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF THE COMMERCIAL CRIME UNIT, WITH OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS RELATED INTER-ALIA, A NUMBER OF BANK COLLAPSES AND SIMILARLY HIGH-PROFILE CASES. AT THE TIME OF HIS DISMISSAL, HE OCCUPIED THE POST OF DEPUTY CROWN PROSECUTOR AND HAD, ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, ACTED AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS.
2. ON 27 OCTOBER 1989, REID WAS ARRESTED, FOLLOWING THE RECEIPT OF INFORMATION TO THE EFFECT THAT HE HAD ACCEPTED SUBSTANTIAL BRIBES, IN THE FORM OF REWARDS OFFERED ON ACCOUNT OF HIS HAVING GIVEN FAVOURABLE ADVICE IN A NUMBER OF MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS/PROSECUTIONS, WHEREBY DEFENDANTS HAD EITHER EVADED PROSECUTION OR CONVICTION. AT THE SAME TIME, A SENIOR HONG KONG BARRISTER, EDDIE SOH CHEE-KONG, AND A SOLICITOR, OSCAR LAI KA-TO, SENIOR PARTNER OF OSCAR LAI AND HO, SOLICITORS, WERE ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF OFFERING BRIBES TO REID. ALL WERE RELEASED ON BAIL, WITHOUT CHARGE, PENDING THE COMPLETION OF ENQUIRIES.
3. ON OR ABOUT 30 DECEMBER 1989, REID LEFT HONG KONG ILLEGALLY AND TRAVELLED TO THE PHILIPPINES VIA MACAU AND CHINA, USING A FORGED TRAVEL DOCUMENT SUPPLIED TO HIM BY PERSONS WHO ASSISTED HIS FLIGHT. HE WAS EVENTUALLY ARRESTED IN MANILA, AND ON 30 MARCH 1990 WAS DEPORTED TO HONG KONG WHERE CORRUPTION CHARGES WERE PREFERRED AGAINST HIM. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, HE INDICATED AN INTENTION TO ADMIT HIS GUILT AND ASSIST THE AUTHORITIES IN IDENTIFYING AND PROSECUTING THOSE PERSONS WHO HAD BEEN PARTY TO HIS CORRUPT ACTS AND TO HIS ESCAPING FROM HONG KONG.
4. ON 6 JULY 1990, REID WAS SENTENCED IN THE HIGH COURT OF HONG KONG TO 8 YEARS IMPRISONMENT AFTER ADMITTING ONE COUNT OF BEHAVIOUR CONTRARY TO SECTION 10 (1) (B) OF THE PREVENTION OF
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