Well-known Hong Kong barrister Kevin Egan dies of cancer of the oesophagus, aged 70
Australian who worked as a prosecutor and criminal lawyer was involved in some of the city’s most high-profile cases
Kevin Egan, one of Hong Kong’s top criminal barristers, died of cancer of the oesophagus on Sunday night, multiple legal sources have confirmed. He was 70.
The Australian, who handled some of the most famous criminal cases in the city’s history, was remembered as a “wonderful guy” who was always willing to help a friend, and would be missed by members of his profession.
Egan qualified as a barrister in 1972 and later came to Hong Kong and joined the Department of Justice. He swiftly rose to become deputy principal Crown Counsel, and prosecuted numerous cases with the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption.
After leaving for private practice, he won a series of famous victories against the ICAC, including acquittals for former beauty queen Elsie Chan Yik-zee in a HK$515 million (US$66 million) land fraud case, and for Chen Po-sum, former vice-chairwoman of the stock exchange, against a range of corruption charges.
Egan was again in the spotlight in the case of Tang Lin-ling, a mainland Chinese woman who took photos during hearings related to 2014’s pro-democracy Occupy protests.
Last month, Tang claimed in court she had engaged Egan to represent her. However, Egan turned up to clarify that he only advised her “as a courtesy”, after she reached out for his help during a random lift conversation, and was not representing her.