THE Vietnamese who refused to testify in a murder trial because of inadequate government protection would have done so had he been told the murder charge would otherwise be dropped, the Commission of Inquiry heard yesterday.
Mr Bui Van Xuan was testifying before Mr Justice Kempster on the second day of the public hearings into the bungled trial of Mr Nguyen Van Bau, in which Mr Bui was the key witness to the murder of his cousin, Mr Nguyen Manh Cong in Section 8 of Whitehead in May 1991.
Mr Justice Kempster is also charged with looking at the wider and sensitive issue of witness protection.
Questioned by his counsel, Mr John McLanachan, Mr Bui revealed exactly what witness protection had been offered to him.
His repeated requests to move back from High Island to Whitehead Section 2 were never heeded, despite continued oral and written threats when he was moved to High Island.
Although originally moved from Section 2 to High Island because he had been assaulted, Mr Bui felt it was safe to return, as his cousin, Mr Nguyen Khanh, had since become head of the section. It was believed that those involved in his assault had been moved out.