Hong Kong protests: former student leader jailed 9 months for resisting arrest, perverting justice
- Judge declined to suspend sentence for former Baptist University student Keith Fong given gravity of offence
- The former student union president was spotted buying 10 laser pointers 2019 social unrest
A former student leader in Hong Kong has been jailed nine months for resisting a police officer and perverting the course of justice during an investigation into his purchase of 10 laser pointers at a flea market more than two years ago.
The District Court on Thursday declined to suspend the sentence handed to Keith Fong Chung-yin, given the gravity of the offence on August 6, 2019, two months into the social unrest that year.
Judge Douglas Yau Tak-hong noted the 23-year-old former president of Baptist University’s student union had planned his offence to some extent, as he was able to discreetly remove the SIM card from his iPhone and reconfigure the device before officers could seize it as evidence.
While the court was unable to find Fong had kept the laser devices as weapons against police during protests, Yau said the student’s actions had nonetheless obstructed an inquiry into a potentially grave offence.
“The administration of justice is the cornerstone of society. Interfering with the administration of justice amounts to an attack on this steadfast foundation,” the judge said. “Any act that compromises the public interest must be meted out with a deterrent and punitive sentence.”
In August 2019, Fong bought 10 laser pointers for HK$4,200 (US$535) from a hawker stall on Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po and was spotted by a police officer who walked past the area. He was arrested and sent to hospital following a struggle with five officers.