Jimmy Lai has a case to answer for intimidating a journalist

West Kowloon’s Magistrate decided that Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has a case to answer for intimidating an Oriental Daily reporter.

Lai was accused of intimidating an Oriental Daily reporter - the court identified as X - three years ago during a June 4 Vigil in Victoria Park.

Lai has pleaded not guilty. He neither defended himself nor called any witnesses.

A video was played in the court which shows that on August 16 last year, Lai told police that Oriental Daily reporters had been following him for 24 hours a day for three years. X has been following him for around two years.

Lai said X has been filming him in a particularly aggressive manner for a few months, and that Lai did not know he was being filmed by X at the June 4 vigil in 2017.

Lai told the police that he had scolded X at the vigil. When he told X that he would “find someone to give you trouble,” it means he will apply for an injunction order and report to the police. However, Lai did not file any injunction order against X or report to the police. 

Lai, 72, was charged with one count of criminal intimidation, as he was accused of intimidating X at Victoria Park.

The case will conclude on August 28.