Hong Kong soccer club's Croatian player found guilty of match fixing, but few know why
Magistrate gives details of match-fixing verdict to lawyers but not media
A Happy Valley soccer player has been convicted of match-fixing - but the reasons for the judge's verdict remained shrouded in mystery yesterday.
Magistrate Lee Siu-ho found Sasa Mus, 28, guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud, in a charge related to his alleged failure to play to the best of his abilities in a first division match last year. But Lee did not read out his 43-page explanation for his verdict in Eastern Court nor give copies to the media. He instead handed the verdict to lawyers and to a translator for Mus, who is Croatian.
He told Mus that a "custodial sentence is a serious possibility" and remanded him in custody pending sentencing on Monday.
Eric Cheung Tat-ming, principal law lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said a magistrate would sometimes only deliver a brief, oral verdict in court. However, according to the principles of open justice, reasons for the verdict should be made available to the press.
The court earlier heard that Happy Valley had been a goal up on rivals Royal Southern at half time in the match in Tai Po on November 30 last year. However, their performance deteriorated dramatically when the players returned to the pitch after half time. They lost 4-2 after conceding four goals in the second half.
Mus was accused of conspiring with team sponsor Michael Liao Siwei and deputy manager Hinson Leung, the court heard.
The team's former managing director, Kwong Hiu-ming, had testified that he spotted Mus talking to Leung in the dressing room when he should have been listening to a briefing by coach Paul Foster.
He said the team's defence was noticeably weaker after the break, but did not say what position Mus was playing in.
Kwong said he had been forced into signing Mus and giving Leung his job.
After his arrest in January, Mus confessed to the Independent Commission Against Corruption that he did not play his best in the match.
Mahinder Panesar, his counsel, told the court Mus had been threatened and was worried for the safety of himself and his family. He made the statement to the ICAC as he wanted to ask for protection.
The conviction would end Mus' soccer career, she added. She indicated Mus would consider an appeal.
