Suspicious letters with unknown substance sent to Admiralty and Wan Chai courts

Two suspicious letters allegedly containing substances with meat-like texture were sent to law courts in Admiralty and Wan Chai on Tuesday afternoon, the third such incident reported in November.

It was understood that the two letters were addressed to Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance Johnny Chan Jong-herng and District Judge Clement Lee Hing-nin, both of whom had handled cases related to social unrest.

Sources added that substance with meat-like texture was found within the letters. Officers have taken the substance out for further examination.

The one addressed to Chan was received around 2pm, while that addressed to Lee was received around 4pm.

A number of staff members evacuated the buildings upon receiving the letters. Police and officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau were mobilized to the scene after they received the report.

There was no casualty reported as of 8pm.

The Department of Justice issued a statement tonight in response to the incident, and said intimidation against judges and judicial officers is despicable and heinous. They added that law enforcement agencies will capture the offenders by all means.

The statement also pointed out that Article 85 of the Basic Law guarantees that courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference.

“Their judgments set out the full reasons for arriving at the decision. This is in accord with the basic principle that judges are to decide cases according to the law impartially and independently,” the statement read.

On Tuesday last week (Nov 16), two letters containing suspicious powder were sent to Deputy District Judge Kathie Cheung Kit-yee at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts and Shatin magistrate Pang Leung-ting.

Both of them had also handled cases related to social unrest.

On November 11, a letter with white powder was sent to West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in the afternoon as well. The powder was deemed harmless and was taken away for further examination.

Eight people were evacuated from the building and none was injured.