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Stella Lee

THE wife of the Hong Kong man accused of ignoring fire safety in Shenzhen's Zhili factory in which 87 workers were burnt to death in November last night vowed to appeal against any prison term imposed on husband Lo Chiu-chuen.

  Lo was said to have been found guilty and to be about to receive five years' jail.

  Lo's legal representative in Hong Kong, Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, last night said she had been told by sources about the sentence and an order to pay compensation.

  'But this is neither confirmed nor denied by the court,' Ms Leung said.

  It is understood Longgang District Court has made a decision and is now consulting the Shenzhen People's Court and Guangdong Provincial Higher Court.

  Lo Chan Tak-ngan said she had not been informed of any verdict in her husband's case and was shocked to hear that he faced five years in jail.

  'It is unfair. They put all the blame on my husband who is innocent. I will appeal if he is really being sentenced to five years. He should be released.

  'Many Hong Kong businessmen with investments in Shenzhen are looking closely at my husband's case,' Mrs Lo said.

  It was also said that Zhili's Hong Kong manager, Leung Kin-kwok, would receive a light sentence as he had already left the factory when the fire took place.

  Leung was accused of recruiting unqualified electrician Liu Guangwan and an electrical fault was found to have caused the fire, while blocked exits and sealed windows led to the heavy casualties.

  Liu and the mainland manager Huang Guoguang were said to have been sentenced to seven years while the two firemen accused of taking bribes from the factory would also receive a severe sentence.

  An official from the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda department in Longgang, Guan Xin, said he could not confirm whether there had been any sentencing in Lo's case.

      He said in general cases, sentencing would be made open to public and family members would be given advance notice.



Appeal pledge over Zhili fire sentence