Hong Kong government backs down over demand for juror to come to work amid Donald Tsang trial
Lawyer tells court the administration recognises the importance of jury service after conflict erupts on side of former leader’s bribery trial
A lawyer for the Hong Kong government has said the administration recognises the importance of jury service, after the director of health services was targeted by a judge for requiring an employee to work weekends while serving as a juror.
Dr Constance Chan Hon-yee was grilled by a court last week over a request to a Department of Health employee that the juror put in extra hours at the weekend in between taking time out for the civic duty.
But on Monday lawyers made a U-turn, saying the government recognised the value of jury service and would not ask employees to work while serving.
The issue escalated last week into a side drama at the bribery trial of former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, which is set to close as soon as next Thursday after Tsang opted on Monday not to give evidence or call witnesses.
Jurors in trial of former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang ordered not to work on Saturdays
The jury saga sprung up after one of the jurors informed the presiding judge of a requirement to work on Saturdays, despite a clear indication from the judge to the department that she was not obliged to.