The Justice Department is reviewing the anonymity of the alleged victim in a high-profile wounding case as lawyers say it deviates from normal practice.
The man, believed to be Kung Ho, nephew of late billionaire Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum and an executive of the Chinachem Group, is described only as "Mr X" in court papers. "The case has not been sent to us for legal advice yet," a department spokeswoman said. "We will review the case and the reason for victim anonymity to consider if any follow-up action is warranted."
University of Hong Kong assistant law professor Eric Cheung Tat-ming said he expected the department to disclose the name after the review. He saw no reason why the victim's name was covered up as the case was not about blackmail or a sex crime.
Four men charged with wounding "Mr X" with intent to cause grievous bodily harm appeared in Tsuen Wan Court yesterday. Principal Magistrate Timothy Casewell adjourned the case of Abbas Yasir, 32, Malik Zohaib Naeem, 27, and Iqbal Pervaiz, 25, all from Pakistan and unemployed, and Ravi Dass, a 28-year-old unemployed man from India, to July 2.
Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung said the public might see the alleged victim's anonymity as a preferential practice for the rich.
"The practice deviates from normal procedure if no good justification is provided," Luk said. "The attack had been widely reported by the media before it was brought to court." The police earlier said the anonymity was imposed to ensure a fair trial and the safety of witnesses.