Hong Kong pro-independence pair found guilty of making explosives
Court heard the duo made smokes bombs in bid to create chaos during 2015 election reform vote
Two alleged members of a pro-independence party in Hong Kong were found guilty on Friday of making explosives shortly before the city’s legislature was to vote on a controversial electoral reform bill.
They were also convicted of further charges of possessing explosives with another defendant, after 13 hours of jury deliberation.
Four men accused of making explosives ‘were seen near abandoned Hong Kong TV studio’ as flashes and smoke filled sky
The defendants allegedly all belonged to the National Independent Party, which sought to make smoke bombs to obstruct the voting, according to a recorded police interview with one of the defendants that was played earlier during the trial.
Since retiring on Thursday at noon, a panel of five male and two female jurors returned to the High Court to find Cheng Wai-shing and Rizzy Pennelli guilty of a joint count of conspiracy to make explosives.
They were accused of using a mixture of nitrate salts and other chemicals capable of producing a firework-like effect.
While Cheng was convicted of a further count of possessing explosives, Pennelli, an Italian national born in Hong Kong, was found guilty of two further counts of the same charge. Chan Yiu-shing was acquitted of a conspiracy charge, but was found guilty of possessing explosives.
