Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
From The Minister of State
19 January 1988
Dear Lord Winehitzen,
Thank you for the letter of 2 January to
David Mellor about Lorrain Osman, which Mr Cahill sent on your behalf. I am replying since Hong Kong falls within my area of Ministerial responsibility.
On the question of the length of time which Mr Osman has spent on remand here, you are aware that he was arrested in this country on 6 December 1985 on a provisional extradition warrant issued at Bow Street Magistrates' Court as a person accused of conspiracy to defraud within the jurisdiction of the Government of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong authorities were duly informed of the arrest of Mr Osman and their formal request for his return was received at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 23 January. The following day the Home Office issued an authority to proceed to the Bow Street Magistrate, authorising him to hear the case. On 13 May 1986 a further authority was issued in respect of an additional offence alleged against Mr Osman. Proceedings began on 27 May 1986 and lasted initially until 20 June. There were further hearings from October to December 1986, in January 1987 and in April and May 1987. On 1 June 1987 the magistrate committed Mr Osman to await the Home Secretary's order for his surrender to the Hong Kong authorities in respect of a total of 42 charges of conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to steal, bribery, theft and fraudulent false accounting.
The Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham
Liberal Peers Office
House of Lords
London
SWLA OPW
/On
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