Eight people were exempted from further jury service for life yesterday after a 218-day fraud trial.
Mr Justice Louis Tong Po-sun issued the order in the Court of First Instance after the jury found six executives of a listed company guilty of conspiracy charges.
The six were convicted of plotting to defraud the stock exchange over the listing of Gold Wo International Holdings, and swindling banks in a credit scam involving HK$86 million between November 1998 and December 2002.
Mr Justice Tong said the jury, six men and two women, would never again be called because 'they have done their share of contributing to the legal system'. Their allowances were doubled to HK$560 a day as a token of thanks.
'Your duty is over and you're free to go. I am grateful for your help in the case, thank you very much,' he said.
The judge apologised for the unexpected extension of the trial, which started on March 2 last year and was to have run for 120 days.
