The collusion case for Next Digital’s founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and three subsidiaries, including now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was adjourned to December 18 by three designated national security judges on Friday.
The media mogul, already serving at Stanley Prison, faces two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and a count of conspiracy to print inciting publications.
Another count of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security was left on the court file.
The three designated judges – Esther Toh Lye-ping, Susana D’Almada Remedios, and Alex Lee Wan-tang – proceeded to the pre-trial review at the High Court today.
As the court session began, Toh said the three of them had decided to adjourn the hearing, originally scheduled on September 25, to December 18 so that the prosecution and the defense could have more time to prepare.
The decision came as the judges considered that Lee and the prosecution are now handling the 35+ primary election case involving 47 democrats and activists.
Deputy Director of public prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang of the Department of Justice and barrister Jon Wong Kwok-ho representing the three subsidiaries, agreed to adjourn the hearing.
Yet, barrister Steven Kwan Man-wai said senior consul Robert Pang Yiu-hung from Lai’s legal team would be handling other cases from January to March, adding that they must further discuss the court dates.
Toh replied that the hearing is expected to last for 80 days and wishes not to adjourn the hearing further.
The prosecution said the English translation work for some 5,000 pages of documents is expected to complete in late September.
