Accused arsonist is removed from court
Man facing MTR fire charges disrupts trial
An unemployed man accused of starting a fire on a MTR train was forcibly removed from a courtroom three times yesterday after he disrupted the proceedings with frequent outbursts.
The trial judge told the Court of First Instance jury he was considering putting Yim Kam-chung in a separate room with video links to the court room so that the trial could continue without disturbance.
Yim, 68, who has pleaded not guilty to arson and is representing himself without a lawyer, protested repeatedly that he was being treated unfairly.
Mr Justice Louis Tong Po-sun had to speak through a microphone linked to an amplifier so that he could be heard over Yim's interruptions.
Yim refused to be quiet or leave the court room and he was carried out three times by two Correctional Service Department officers but brought back each time.
Yim claimed the jury selection was unfair because he was denied the opportunity to examine the cards drawn by a law clerk in picking jurors. Prosecutor Arthur Luk SC told the jury that a fire broke out about 9am on January 5 last year in the first carriage of a MTR train shortly after it left the Tsim Sha Tsui station for Admiralty station.
Passengers in the first carriage scrambled to the second carriage.
No one was injured or killed in the fire. The flames were put out when the train arrived at the Admiralty station.
Yim was arrested after the Correctional Services Department received a letter the following day containing details of the alleged arson attack.
Yim told police under caution he was the arsonist, Mr Luk said.
'Since the government confiscated six of my vehicles, I decided to cause a tragedy at the Admiralty MTR station,' Yim said.
Mr Luk said Yim was pointed out by two witnesses at an identification parade.
The trial continues today.
