A WESTERN Court magistrate yesterday refused to declare the chief executive of the Stock Exchange, Paul Chow, a hostile witness in the corruption trial of his former colleague. Crown Counsel Bernard Ryan made the application in Mr Chow's absence after the chief executive allegedly gave a contradictory version on the witness box as to whether he had gone through the personal file of Josiah Mah Kin-man, 42, a former financial controller of the Stock Exchange. Mah is on trial with Leung Ping-wah, 41, director of Wah Fei Interior Ltd. Leung has denied offering a favour to Mah, while Mah has denied accepting a favour in May 1990. The Crown has accused Mah of influencing the Stock Exchange over the awarding of decoration work to Wah Fei Interior, and in monitoring the progress of and payment for the work. In return, it is alleged, decoration work was carried out at Mah's flat at Realty Garden, Conduit Road, at a reduced cost. Mr Ryan said Mr Chow had stated positively in court that he had not read Mah's personal file, although the witness had said something to the contrary in his statement. The application met with objection from Mah's counsel, Alexander King, and Leung's counsel, Daniel Marash. Mr Chow had told the court that he had no interest in checking Mah's file, mainly because the alleged offence did not happen during his time as the exchange's chief executive. Mr Chow took up the post in November 1991. Magistrate Andree-Wiltens rejected the application. The hearing continues tomorrow.
