Policeman was wrongly convicted, judge finds

A senior policeman was wrongly convicted of having accepted an unauthorised $300,000 loan, a court ruled yesterday.

Superintendent Philip Bouttle, 37, said outside court he felt 'obviously very vindicated' by the decision but would not comment further on the Independent Commission Against Corruption's handling of the investigation.

He was acquitted in the Court of First Instance of one charge of soliciting and another of accepting an unauthorised loan under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing said there was 'unsatisfactory evidence' by the key witness, stock-market tipster Eddie Chan Ka-ho, who had said he considered the $300,000 involved as 'peanuts'.

Mr Chan's evidence was used to convict Mr Bouttle in December and led to his $60,000 fine by Magistrate Colin Mackintosh. The fine will be set aside.

Mr Bouttle argued the prosecution had failed to prove the payment was a loan. It was argued he had asked for the return of cash he had used to buy stocks and shares Mr Chan held for him in a portfolio.