HONG KONG, Feb 26 — Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai won an appeal today overturning his 2022 fraud conviction, just days after being jailed on separate national security charges.
HONG KONG, Feb 26 — Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai won an appeal today overturning his 2022 fraud conviction, just days after being jailed on separate national security charges.
The High Court quashed Lai’s conviction and sentence in the fraud case, which stemmed from a contractual dispute unrelated to his collusion charges under the Beijing-imposed national security law. High Court Chief Judge Jeremy Poon allowed the appeal without requiring Lai, 78, to appear in court.
Lai remains in custody, serving a 20-year sentence for national security violations, with two years originally set to overlap with the now-voided fraud sentence. Prosecutors did not comment on whether they will appeal the ruling.
The fraud case had alleged that Lai used a consultancy firm to occupy office space leased by Apple Daily, violating the lease terms. Poon ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the alleged false representation.
Former Apple Daily executive Wong Wai-keung, also convicted in the fraud case and sentenced to 21 months in 2022, had his conviction and sentence overturned as well. — AFP
BANGKOK, April 24 — Thailand’s Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a petition accusing 44 current and former opposition lawmakers of ethics violations over their 2021 move to amend a law protecting the monarchy from criticism, according to Thai media reports.
PUTRAJAYA, April 24 — The Court of Appeal today dismissed Kepala Batas MP Dr Siti Mastura’s appeal against a High Court ruling ordering her to pay RM825,000 in damages and costs for defaming three DAP leaders by linking them to former Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng.
THE HAGUE, April 23 — Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial at the International Criminal Court after judges on Thursday confirmed charges of crimes against humanity over his controversial “war on drugs.”