Prosecution witnesses lied about former lawmaker’s behaviour on night of alleged social-distancing violation, Hong Kong court hears

Chan is charged with taking part in an illegal gathering at HANDS bar in Sham Shui Po last April

Defence counsel says the two witnesses were not out socialising as they claim and were actually stalking her

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Tanya Chan leaves Kowloon City Court on Monday. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 8:01pm, 19 Apr 2021Updated: 9:03pm, 19 Apr 2021

Two witnesses giving evidence against an ex-opposition lawmaker on trial for breaking pandemic social-distancing rules lied about what they saw the defendant do outside a bar in Hong Kong last year, a court heard on Monday.

The lawyer for former Civic Party member Tanya Chan also further questioned the credibility of the two witnesses, a man and a woman, by saying that far from meeting Chan by chance that night, they had worked with two others to film the defendant and fabricate evidence against her.

Chan was charged alongside former party colleague Gordon Lam Sui-wa with taking part in an illegal group gathering at the HANDS bar on Tai Nan Street in Sham Shui Po on April 2.

Bar manager Chan Wai-choi faces one summons of knowingly allowing a group gathering prohibited under coronavirus social-distancing measures and another of failing to comply with regulations in relation to a catering business.

The defendants have denied all charges before Magistrate Andy Cheng Lim-chi at Kowloon City Court.