律政風暴之四

我寫這幾篇，不會直叙式寫，有時倒敍，有時加入自己記得的事穿插其中，但一定不會有意識流(stream of consciousness)，現在是寫如煙的往事，並非懸疑小說。因為我沒有構思過怎樣寫，鬆散之處，敬請原諒。

話說Reid 逃亡馬尼拉期間，即1990年1月至1990年3月之間，亷署當然擺了surveillance。講出來都難以置信，有一日，陳德立 (Jim Chandler) 在馬尼拉一間夜總會和 Reid 相見。Chandler花名叫燦叔，譯音而來，當時是律政署其中一個副刑事檢控專員，兩人都曾經在新西蘭 Tauranga 的一間律師樓共事過，燦叔比 Reid 早一點加入律政署，1987年升至副刑事檢控專員。燦叔在律政署期間，「給」了兩隻黑豬(1 admonishment and 1 reprimand)。竟然在「偶然」的情況下，坐飛機去碰到個逃犯，大家摸着酒杯，談了一個晚上。「偶然」這兩個字可圈可點，也可以加括號。燦叔現在還在香港揾食，標少夠膽寫他，不只是標少「沙卜」(Andrew簡喜歡這樣形容我，沙膽也。Andrew為陳振聰抗辯，現在一定不亦樂乎)，當然有事實作後盾。這兩個同鄉，談了甚麼呢？Reid 的講法是他叫燦叔捎口信給艾勤賢(Kevin Barry Egan)，燦叔矢口否認。

Reid informed the ICAC that whilst on the run in Manila, he met by chance, Chandler. They had a drink and arranged to meet again the next day. Chandler then decided against further contact and returned to Hong Kong. In his evidence, Reid said he asked Chandler to relay a message to Egan, a fact Chandler denies.
(p.57 The Kevin Egan's case)

燦叔因為沒有把偶遇告知上級，所以要執包袱，法庭紀錄這樣講：

8. The upshot of the non-disclosure, and I quote from a letter written by the Attorney General on the 23rd of March, was that:

"On 5 December 1990 Mr Chandler's service (with the Crown) was brought to a premature end. That was achieved by way of mutual resolution of his contract."

Mr. Chandler had been interdicted from his duties since the 30th of August. The Attorney General further explained:

"My Law Officers and I took the view that in failing promptly to report his meeting with Warwick Reid ... Mr Chandler had fallen short of the proper professional standards which are expected of lawyers in the service of the Crown; and that his continued employment in my Chambers was unacceptable."

(pare 8, RE JAMES PETER CHANDLER HCMP3721/1990)

上面這引文，跟下面的另一段引文取自燦叔執包袱後，申請私人執業，遭大律師公會反對，而向署理首席按察司申請執業的裁決判辭。他最後獲准執業，箇中道理，我欠缺理解的智慧。不要錯怪別人，標少的智商往往都看不明判辭的大道理。

Alick Au收了1,000,000元，陪伴Reid逃亡，他抗辯的時候也講過不知道Reid是誰。有時難以置信的事情或者是事實呢。有一次，老友結婚擺酒，安排了個前香港小姐冠軍坐在我身旁，可能我視力欠佳，渾然不覺，(靚女法官Adriana肯定比這香港小姐冠軍漂亮得多)。(當然，坐在我身旁一定不會加餸吃鹹豬手，飲醉了起身也不會衣衫不整)。事後講起，我還否認，最後才知道她真的是香港小姐冠軍。用這種推理，Alick Au真的收了不知名人士1,000,000元，馬尼拉只有一間夜總會，所有人當時去馬尼拉的夜總會，都會碰到Reid，飲番兩杯。Cheers！For Justice！Hip Hip Hurray！


6. The opposition to his admission rests upon a flaw of character revealed by his conduct early last year. He was on leave in Thailand, returning to give evidence for the defence in what at the time was a notorious criminal proceeding. It had been agreed with Government that he could return to Thailand to continue his leave when his evidence had been completed. Unfortunately, due to a combination of circumstances and in particular very heavy rainfall, he was unable to catch the Saturday flight to Thailand as he had arranged and decided instead to spend the weekend in Manila, returning to Hong Kong on the Monday to continue his original flight. That Saturday night in Manila, and by absolute chance, he met Warwick Reid in a city nightclub. Mr. Reid was then a wanted man in Hong Kong, having absconded while on bail granted by the Independent Commission Against Commission following his arrest upon suspicion of offences of corruption. In Hong Kong at that time his whereabouts were generally thought to be unknown. Yet Mr. Chandler made no effort to acquaint the authorities here with the fact of his presence in Manila, despite the obvious opportunities of the telephone and his meeting with another crown counsel during his transit through Kai Tak the following morning.
(pare 6, RE JAMES PETER CHANDLER HCMP3721/1990)