Democracy activist Howard Lam probably fired staples into his own legs and faked kidnapping by Chinese agents, forensics expert tells Hong Kong court
- Pathologist Lai Sai-chak says defendant’s version of events ‘defied common sense’, as magistrate rules Lam has case to answer
- Defence expert disagrees and says injuries were consistent with being tortured
Democracy activist Howard Lam Tsz-kin has a case to answer over allegations he faked his own abduction, a Hong Kong court has ruled.
Acting chief magistrate So Wai-tak made the decision after hearing evidence that the puncture wounds and cane marks found on his body were likely to have been self-inflicted.
The magistrate ruled that Lam, 42, has to answer to one count of knowingly making to police a false report of commission of any offence, after prosecutors concluded their case with the evidence of a forensic pathologist.
Dr Lai Sai-chak said he believed the two sets of injuries found on Lam’s thighs and belly were potentially self-inflicted, and said the activist’s story “defied common sense”, and was probably made-up.
“I initially expected him to be injured very seriously … but, surprisingly, apart from those two sets of wounds, there weren’t others,” Lai said. “Lam telling lies became a more reasonable explanation.”