THE Legal Department could face a multi-million dollar bill from former Legislative Councillor Ho Sai-chu and his wife after their acquittal in the District Court yesterday.
Judge Moylan said the prosecution had failed to prove beyond doubt that Mr Ho, 54, and Ms Ko Tse-ha, 47, had conspired to defraud a company which had at that time owned the publishing rights to the Tin Tin Daily News.
''The case for the Crown seemed to have been shifting like a boat dragging its anchor from bay to bay,'' the judge said, adding that no application was made to amend the charge.
Of the seven particulars in the single charge, the judge found some of them ''so opaque'' that it was not known what was meant.
Judge Moylan will hear arguments on November 29 for the trial costs of Mr Ho and Ms Ko, and for solicitor Stephane Hui Bon-hoa, 40, and accountant Larry Ng Lit-fai, 37, who were both acquitted a fortnight ago.
Mr Ho and Ms Ko, who are both company directors, had been on trial for more than 60 days. Neither gave evidence in their defence.