Hong Kong magistrate handling Jimmy Lai fraud case receives bomb threat after remanding media tycoon in custody

A police source says a person called the magistrate’s office on the day Lai was denied bail and threatened to blow up him and his family

The decision to deny bail drew international criticism, with the justice department warning ‘groundless accusations’ against judiciary could violate the national security law

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A West Kowloon Court magistrate received a bomb threat at his office the day he denied bail to media tycoon Jimmy Lai, police say. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 5:49pm, 5 Dec 2020Updated: 10:55pm, 5 Dec 2020

A Hong Kong magistrate who recently remanded media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in custody while he awaits trial in a fraud case received a bomb threat soon after the court hearing, prompting a police investigation and condemnation from the government.

Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak, one of six magistrates hand-picked by city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to adjudicate national security proceedings, denied bail to Lai on Thursday in a hearing at West Kowloon Court after the prosecution objected to his temporary release.

Believing Lai was a flight risk and could reoffend, the magistrate ordered Lai to be detained until his next hearing on April 16. The decision sparked an international outcry, prompting the Department of Justice to warn that “groundless accusations” against the judiciary could violate the city’s sweeping national security law.

Chief Magistrate Victor So. Photo: Handout

A police source said that after the hearing on Thursday morning, So’s office received a call that was answered by his secretary.

“A man shouted, ‘I will bomb you, your wife and your son to death’, and then hung up. The office then reported the matter to police,” the insider said.

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