Barrister Keith Yeung to be first Hong Kong Chinese chief prosecutor
City's first Hong Kong Chinese chief prosecutor pledges to be fair and independent, and the man he'll succeed says he is 'highly respected'
Senior barrister Keith Yeung Kar-hung will be appointed the first Hong Kong Chinese director of public prosecutions next month. He takes over from the incumbent, Kevin Zervos.
The appointment of the commercial litigation specialist met with mixed reactions. A veteran lawyer called into question Yeung's reported ties with rich and powerful businessmen.
A former deputy High Court judge, Yeung, 48, vowed to be fair and impartial and uphold the rule of law.
"The system of criminal prosecution is a vital aspect of the Hong Kong legal system. Its key objective is to uphold the rule of law," Yeung said in his first meeting with the media. "To achieve that we need an independent fair, impartial and open system of public prosecutions.
"In discharging the duty of the director of public prosecutions, I will try my utmost. I will uphold the prosecutorial independence. I will handle all criminal prosecution in a fair and impartial manner. I will be guided by the public interest. I will uphold the rule of law," he said.
Senior counsel Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a Civic Party lawmaker, expressed reservations about the appointment.
He pointed to reports that Yeung had given legal advice to the Kwok brothers of Sun Hung Kai in the biggest corruption case in Hong Kong's history.