Hong Kong protests: man cleared of weapons charges after magistrate accepts baton, laser pointer found in car may be from passengers
- Insurance agent Ng Kai-nam had ferried protesters during an anti-government rally and even advised them on evading police checkpoints
- But acting principal magistrate finds prosecution unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that defendant knew the exact nature of the items
An insurance agent in Hong Kong who was found with a baton and a laser pointer in his car during an anti-government rally last year has been cleared of weapons-related offences, after the magistrate accepted that the items might have been left behind by protesters he had ferried.
Ng Kai-nam was acquitted of one count of possessing offensive weapons at Tuen Mun Court during a police operation on September 21, when officers were stationed in different parts of Tuen Mun before a protest.
The 39-year-old was intercepted on Tseng Choi Street by police, who subsequently seized the 50cm (20 inches) baton, laser pointer, helmets and respirators from three rucksacks found in the boot of his vehicle.
Ng testified that the items belonged to four hitchhikers who were about to take part in the demonstration, adding that he had advised them on bypassing police checkpoints and told them to leave their bags in his car to avoid being caught.
He also said he did not realise there were weapons in the bags.
On Friday, acting principal magistrate Kathie Cheung Kit-yee ruled that Ng must have known that the four protesters had prohibited weapons with them, as seen in his suggestions to the group on how to evade arrest.