Defence lawyer for Donald Tsang compares bribery case to Chinese martial arts novels in closing argument
Former chief executive’s barrister tells jurors to base judgment on facts not ‘creative’ stories from the prosecution
On the first day of his closing argument, Barrister Selwyn Yu SC told jurors their role in the bribery trial was to base their findings on facts, not listen to creative fiction from prosecutors.
“The prosecution needs to tell you an attractive story because there is no proof,” Yu said. “You are not here to listen to a story.”
Prosecutors have accused Tsang, 73, of accepting from Wave Media custom-made refurbishment worth HK$3.8 million (US$487,000) for a mainland penthouse, and in return, being “favourably disposed” to the local broadcaster.
Tsang has denied one count of accepting an advantage between 2010 and 2012 as chief executive.
Yu insisted that what prosectors described as a corrupt deal between the former top official and radio station boss, Bill Wong Cho-bau, was a “normal commercial give-and-take” transaction.