The first person to be prosecuted over last year's deadly collapse of a tenement building in To Kwa Wan appeared in Kowloon City Court yesterday.
Chu Wai-wing, 74, is accused of demolishing unauthorised works at Block J, 45 Ma Tau Wai Road, in such a manner as to cause injury to people and damage to property ahead of the collapse, which killed four people on January 29, 2010.
Chu did not enter a plea. He faces a maximum penalty of a HK$1 million fine and three years' jail.
The court heard that Chu's company was not on the Building Department's register of general contractors. Only registered contractors are allowed to carry out complicated works.
Senior public prosecutor Joseph Wong King-yin asked the court to adjourn the case for two months to allow further police inquiries into whether Chu had been responsible for any other, more serious offences.
Solicitor Jack Fung Sing-chak, Chu's lawyer, said he had no objections to the prosecution's request for an adjournment.
The prosecution will also seek legal advice on whether to press further charges against Chu.
