A taxi driver accused of telling a paraplegic woman to get out of his cab if she could not load her own wheelchair limped up and down a courtroom yesterday to show he was also disabled.
Ko Chuen, 42, said Dr Sophie Ma Bik-yung, who is suing him for unspecified damages, did not understand that he was unable to lift heavy objects.
'I felt the lady's anger and I felt it was a misunderstanding because I refused to put the wheelchair in the boot for her,' Mr Ko told the District Court.
'I had to explain to her that because of an illness I suffered when I was young I had an operation on my leg, and that's why I needed to ask somebody to help me.
'I didn't intentionally refuse to put the wheelchair into the boot.' Dr Ma, 50, alleges that a short journey to take her schizophrenic younger sister for urgent medical treatment in November 1996 became an ordeal that left her shocked, humiliated and contemplating emigration.
The case is being pursued by the Equal Opportunities Commission under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance.
Dr Ma alleged Mr Ko refused to load her wheelchair, verbally abused her during the journey and sat with his arms folded when the vehicle arrived at her destination - forcing her to yell for help from passersby.
