Double challenge to the letters of trust advanced as evidence

More questions were asked yesterday about two letters the Democratic Party produced as evidence two politicians gained no personal benefit from their directorships of a company owning a flat in which one of them rents office space.

The letters, which are undated, have no stamp duty seal. The signature on one also differs from that held in the Companies Registry.

The property is held by Target Link, a company of which legislator James To Kun-sun and Stanley Ng Wing-fai are the shareholders. After the controversy about the office rental blew up on Monday, Mr To and Mr Ng produced the letters declaring that they were holding the shares in trust for the party.

It emerged yesterday that in an annual return submitted by Target Link to the Companies Registry in March, Mr Ng signed with his name in Chinese, which was followed by 'Ng Wing Fai, Stanley' in typescript. He had signed the letter produced on Monday using English initials along with the handwritten name 'Ng Wing Fai'.

Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, a solicitor, said the different forms of signature were not an issue, but the letters' effect was doubtful because they did not carry a stamp duty seal. However, Eric Li Ka-cheung, formerly the legislator representing the accountancy sector, said it was not necessary to chop a seal if there was trust between the parties concerned. That the letters were undated was more of an issue, he said.

'There is no direct evidence showing that the letters were signed beforehand. It is hard to prove they are authentic or fake.'