EJ InsightToday, 12:11
A student activist is free after being acquitted of assaulting a policeman during the 2014 democracy protests.
A judge in Eastern magistrate’s court ruled that the officer’s testimony was questionable and might have been made in collusion with a fellow policeman who served as a witness, Ming Pao Daily reports.
The 25-year-old defendant, surnamed Ngan, was cleared of assault and ordered reimbursed for costs.
Senior inspector Ku Siu-fai had told the court that Ngan grabbed him by his shirt. A police witness corroborated Ku’s testimony.
But the judge questioned why this particular incident was never included in Ku’s sworn statement two years ago.
He said there might have been collusion between Ku and the witness.
Also, the judge dismissed Ku’s claim that Ngan grabbed his belt and pulled him back, saying the latter, who weighs less than 100 lbs. (46.3 kg) could not do that to a 140-lb. man.
Ku’s testimony was inconsistent with a TVB news video of the incident, the judge ruled.
However, he denied a motion by defense lawyer Douglas Kwok that Ku be investigated for making false statements, leaving the matter to the prosecution.
Kwok later told reporters outside the court house that the Justice Department should treat any collusion between witnesses seriously.
In a written reply, the department said it will take the magistrate’s ruling into consideration and decide whether to pursue it.
Kwok said all four cases he handled relating to the street protests have now either been dropped or ended in acquittal.
– Contact us at english@hkej.com
TL/AC/RA
http://www.ejinsight.com/20160330-student-beats-assault-rap-after-judge-suggests-police-collusion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20160330-student-beats-assault-rap-after-judge-suggests-police-collusion
