Uni lecturer gets a year for crossbow, 'arrows'

A 37-year-old university lecturer was yesterday jailed for a year for carrying a homemade crossbow and sharpened wooden sticks in Wan Chai during a New Year's Day protest.

Sam Sam Ka-lam, previously a special education and counseling lecturer at the Education University, earlier pleaded not guilty to one count of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of offensive weapon with intent.

He was convicted and sentenced by Eastern Court magistrate Cheang Kei-hong yesterday, who dismissed Sam's testimony as a "pack of lies."

Sam was found in possession of the homemade crossbow and 20 sharpened wooden sticks outside Wu Chung House on Queen's Road East in Wan Chai on January 1.

In a raid on his Wong Tai Sin apartment the following day, police officers seized two more crossbows and five arrows.

Cheang refused to take Sam's testimony into account, saying that it was "playing with words to put forward sly arguments."

Cheang also took issue with the claim that the wooden sticks were used for practicing archery and strength training, as well as teaching scouts, saying the sticks could puncture into human bodies and were not appropriate teaching tools, given that they can easily break apart and cannot be reused.

In his defense, Sam said he did not know he had brought the sticks and crossbow to the scene, as he had grabbed a wrong backpack from home.

But Cheang said that was unacceptable, since he was well aware of what he was doing at the time.

He added that Sam was wearing a cap, a black mask and holding an umbrella on the day, and that he would be "100 percent" a violent protester if he were to put on more equipment, such as the safety goggles, gas mask, knee pads and gloves from his backpack.

In mitigation, defense counsel Lawrence Lok Ying-kam said there is no evidence suggesting Sam used the objects to harm people.

Lok said Sam is a well-accomplished person with a doctorate, three master's degrees and multiple scholarships and is gifted in sports.

He also said Sam shows great concern for the underprivileged, including writing research papers regarding children with learning difficulties and servicing the scout association.

Cheang initially proposed a sentence of 16 months, but reduced it by a third in consideration of mitigation.

erin.chan@singtaonewscorp.com