Defence fails to get case dropped

A judge ruled yesterday that ex-legislator Gary Cheng Kai-nam had a case to answer to each of the five charges he faces, despite a submission that the prosecution case was 'rather strange' and could not stand.

Making a no-case application for Cheng, barrister Kevin Egan suggested there was insufficient evidence to form a substantial case against his client.

'The prosecution case is rather strange . . . Gary Cheng started off as a corrupted public servant, in return for money he sought help from powerful people [for his private public relations business]. Somewhere along this line he metamorphosed and turned from a corrupted public servant into a mere thief,' Mr Egan said.

Cheng, 51, denies misconduct in public office, accepting advantage as a public servant, false accounting and two counts of theft. He is accused of exploiting his position as a legislator to further his PR business.

But the prosecution also alleges Cheng falsely told PA Professional Consultants Ltd, the PR firm which contracted him for a consultation job with the Sports Development Board, that he had met senior government officials concerning the assignment.

Mr Egan argued the two allegations could not both be right. He added that a PR man's mere puff should not be taken seriously as fraud or corruption.