Magistrate rethinks ban on witness

A footballer jailed for match-fixing and banned by a magistrate from giving evidence against his teammates could be allowed back into their trial as a police witness.

Chan Tsz-kong, 26, was stopped from giving evidence at the trial of Kevin Lok Kar-win, 25, Chan Chi-keung, 28, and Wai Kwan-lung, 22. The trio deny plotting to throw a World Cup qualifying game against Thailand in 1997.

Chan Tsz-kong received a one-year term after pleading guilty to conspiring in a match-fixing plot.

Last month Magistrate Robert McNair said Chan had been bullied by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and his testimony against the others would be unsafe.

But yesterday Mr McNair indicated he was reconsidering Chan's role in the trial after an application from prosecutor Gramsci Di Fazio.

'I can accept that this is an unsettling matter, but it must be dealt with,' Mr McNair said.

Mr Di Fazio said Chan should be allowed to take the stand because of 'changed circumstances' - that he had now served his time, which was spent in ICAC custody, and had given evidence at a short hearing within the trial on a legal point.

Lawyers for Chan Chi-keung and Wai opposed yesterday's application.

Lok's counsel, David Ma Wai-kwan, said he needed more time to consider what would be in the best interests of his client.

The Eastern Court case was adjourned until February 25.