‘Shall I call you Chief Executive Leung?’: Hong Kong lawmaker cross-examines city’s top official in assault trial
The self-representing defendant adopts a mocking tone with Leung Chun-ying
Chief executive Leung Chun-ying testified he feared injury over a 2014 incident in the city’s legislative chamber, appearing today in a packed court for the assault trial of lawmaker Wong Yuk-man.
Led by the prosecution for whom he was a witness, Leung said disruptions in the Legislative Council had taken place in the past but that the incident during a question-and-answer session was different.
“This time it was a glass that was thrown,” he said. “It’s an assault.”
Leung was called to the witness stand almost two hours after he arrived at Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho on Tuesday to testify against Wong, who earlier denied one count of common assault.
Leung said that after he walked past a group of protesting legislators on the day, he heard a glass-shattering noise behind him.
“Judging from the noise’s intensity, it was nearby,” he said.
Leung said he was not injured but feared he could be. “I gathered myself and checked if I was injured,” he added.
In reply, Leung said: “Please rule on this, your honour.” Wong was directed to address Leung as “witness”.
The lawmaker then stated he was used to being yelled at in Legco meetings. Leung did not comment.
However, Leung stated he did not witness who threw the glass.
Wong opposed the testimony of Hong Kong’s top official on the grounds that his ‘transcendent’ status might exempt him from facing legal consequences.
“It is reasonable to believe that he could say something favourable towards the prosecution’s case and unfavourable to the defence’s case without facing any legal consequence,” said Wong of Leung.
Quoting a statement by Beijing’s liaison office director Zhang Xiaoming in September last year and later confirmed by Leung himself, Wong said the chief executive enjoyed “transcendent” status.
Wong also cited a legal text and said a witness had to be “competent” and “compellable”, adding: “many believed he’d deliberately tell lies and had been dishonest”.
But Magistrate Chu Chung-keung rejected the claim and said he would decide how much weight to be given to what Leung would be saying.
Senior assistant director of public prosecutions Anna Lai recapped the July 2014 encounter involving Wong, who denied the charge of common assault.
Lai said Wong threw three piles of documents before tossing a glass of water, which landed near Leung and broke. Wong was arrested for common assault the next day after he surrendered to police.
Leung’s appearance on Tuesday made him the city’s highest-ranking official to give evidence in a court. He arrived shortly after 9am with an entourage of about 20 bodyguards.
The chief executive’s arrival prompted his detractors, numbering in the dozens, to rush towards his vehicle. But officials made sure Leung had clear passage to enter the building, and he headed straight into a witness room.
Leung’s supporters and detractors were seen queuing up to enter the courtroom as early as two hours prior to the hearing scheduled for 9:30am. Many Wong supporters wore yellow t-shirts bearing “Civic Passion”, the radical pro-democracy group.
Chu began the hearing by asking public gallery members not to disturb proceedings else they risked being kicked out or found in contempt of court. Both uniformed and plainclothes security personnel were deployed to maintain order.
Leung was joined on the prosecution’s witness list by Secretary of Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung Bing-leung. Other witnesses included radical lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip, Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki, Neighbourhood Services Centre lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung, and health services lawmaker Joseph Lee Kwok-lun.
Chu approved the summons for Chan but said Wong failed to show sufficient grounds for calling his other three witnesses.
According to notices posted in the building’s lobby, 53 seats were allocated to the public on a first-come-first-served basis while another 21 seats were given to media, with an additional 10 spots being standing quotas.
“We queued but we couldn’t get in,” said an unsuccessful woman who claimed to be first in line. “This means you can only get in by jumping the queue.”
A small area was also allocated to a handful of pro-establishment protesters who secured on the railings a national flag and banners reading “Support CY Leung”.
