HONG KONG, CHINA – In a dramatic turn of events, Inspector John Franklin Barnes of the Waterfront Police Station testified in a Criminal Sessions trial on March 27, 1963. He recounted firing three to four shots at an armed robber who had aimed a gun at him in Des Voeux-road Central on January 2. The accused, Chan Ngan, faced charges of armed robbery, shooting with intent to murder, and shooting with intent to do grievous bodily harm before Mr. Justice I.C.C. Rigby and a six-man jury.
Inspector Barnes detailed his experience on January 2, stating that he was inside Wellcome Co, Des Voeux-road Central, when he heard gunshots from Pottinger-street. He went out to investigate and encountered two Chinese men, one armed with a revolver and the other carrying a large brown leather bag. The inspector recalled that armed policemen were pursuing them, and he went to the middle of the road as the men turned eastward.
The next day, March 28, it was reported that Chan surprised the court by pleading guilty to stealing $130,160 from the cashier of Wang Kee and Co while armed with a revolver on January 2. The trial took an unexpected turn when Chan made his plea, leading to a swift resumption of the proceedings 90 minutes after the stipulated time. Witnesses, including police officers who had participated in the chase, provided evidence to the prosecution. This included Police Constable Lau Man-cham, who shot and killed one of the robbers, and Inspector John Franklin Barnes, who pursued Chan along Des Voeux-road Central.
In the midst of a high-stakes trial, the unfolding events shed light on the alleged robbery and the pursuit that ensued. The accused’s sudden guilty plea took the courtroom by surprise and added a layer of complexity to the case. With multiple witnesses, including law enforcement officers, testifying to the events of January 2, the trial appeared to be far from reaching a swift conclusion. However, the proceedings offered a glimpse into the challenges faced by law enforcement in combatting armed criminal activity in the region.
In summary, Inspector John Franklin Barnes’ testimony about the events of January 2, the unexpected guilty plea by the accused, and the involvement of multiple witnesses, including law enforcement officers, created a compelling and complex narrative in the ongoing trial. These developments shed light on the challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing armed criminal activity in the area and raised crucial questions about the pursuit of justice in such cases.