Godber gaoled for four years

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33778, 26 February 1975, Page 17

Godber gaoled for four years

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —CopyriyhO

HONG KONG, February 25.

Peter Godber, aged 52, a former senior British officer in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, was today sentenced to four years imprisonment on corruption charges.

Godber was found guilty on two counts for which he had been extradited from Bri-

tain to stand trial in the colony. Judge Yang Ti-liang imposed a four-year sentence on Godber for corruptly receiving 5HK25.000 from a Chinese officer for helping him to obtain a senior posting, and four years for related conspiracy. The sentences will run concurrently, and the bribe money will be forfeited. Sentence was passed after the Court had heard of Godber’s more than 20 years faithful service in the force, and of his bravery during the 1967 riots. He rose to the rank of chief superintendent. His lawyer ended his submission by urging the Court to look most carefully at thei testimony of the main prosecution witnesses, who were’ given immunity from prosecution for giving evidence. One was the Chinese officer involved, and the other, Mr Ernest (“Taffy”) Hunt, a former police officer, who had admitted in Court that he had amassed the equivalent of SNZ 1.76 m in 18 years of graft. No reasonable Court should believe them, defence counsel submitted, adding: "Without! their evidence, the case does; not get off the ground.” I The defence stronglv criticised the amnesty deals made with the pair by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The 'Court heard that Mr Hunt, who has already left Hong Kong, did not pay income tax on his fortune from corruption. Godber was extradited from London last month after an eight-month battle in the courts there after his arrest under the Fugitive Offenders Act. He had left the colony in June, 1973, while under investigation by anti-graft officers who had asked him to explain his assets.