Maintenance company and its directors cleared in Hong Kong lift fall that injured 7
Judge deems witness against engineering company and its top managers 'unreliable'
Two directors and their company were found not guilty yesterday of failing to "properly and safely" maintain a lift that fell last year, severely injuring seven people.
Shineford Engineering and its directors, Lo Chi-kin and Mak Wai-kai were acquitted after Eastern Court Magistrate Li Kwok-wai decided that a witness giving evidence against them was unreliable.
The witness's "evidence was confusing and came in different versions", Li said.
The three defendants were cleared of three charges accusing them of failing to clean the lift and check its suspension ropes and traction sheave, the pulley-like device that moves the ropes. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has said it would appeal against the verdict clearing the three.
Lo and the company were each fined HK$2,000 after they were convicted of one count of subcontracting the maintenance of the lift to an unregistered worker.
Yesterday's verdict came despite the conviction of another defendant in the case, lift engineer Lam Chi-wah, who was sentenced to five months in jail after pleading guilty to the same three summonses earlier.