Case closed: Western Court shuts its doors
A chapter in Hong Kong's legal history closed yesterday when Western Magistrates' Court shut its doors after almost two decades.
Staff were seen dragging their belongings from the halls in black plastic bags in the afternoon while stacks of documents were wheeled from various offices in preparation for the closure.
The normally busy blue linoleum halls were also quiet as the last few cases were heard before all hearings are transferred to Eastern Court, in Sai Wan Ho at the other end of Hong Kong island.
Magistrate Anthony Yuen was one of the last magistrates left hearing cases yesterday. He expressed no sadness about the move.
'It [the building] is old and it may be a good thing to move to a better place,' he said. 'These court facilities were not designed to accommodate present case loads.'
He also said the main decision to move - to save costs - was a 'reality'.
Western Magistrates' Court has played host to several big trials recently, the last involving a huge media circus for Canto-pop singer Nicholas Tse Ting-fung's case of swapping places with his driver after crashing his Ferrari in Cotton Tree Drive.
The three magistrates currently working at the court in Sheung Wan will be deployed to other courts along with supporting staff. Waiting time is expected to increase at Eastern Court but the judiciary has said it will try to keep delays to below three months.
Another magistrates' court, North Kowloon Court, will merge with Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court at the end of 2004.
