Over 96pc of anti-fugitive trials concluded: Judiciary

The Judiciary has prioritized processing cases related to the anti-extradition bill, of which 96 percent have been concluded, according to the Judiciary Administrator Esther Leung Yuet-yin.

Speaking at a meeting of the Finance Committee on Monday, Leung noted that around 2,260 related cases had been concluded as of last year, while 86 percent of the 230 cases involving national security had been concluded.

Leung stated that the budget for the Judiciary this fiscal year is set at HK$2.8 billion, marking a 6.5 percent increase compared to the previous year, to fill up vacancies and recruit temporary judicial staff.

Meanwhile, she stressed that the average waiting time for case proceedings across all court levels will decrease steadily in years with the additional appointments, despite a number of pending complex cases with lengthy hearing periods.

The establishment of judicial officers currently stands at 211, while only 160 judges and judicial officers are serving their duty. 

In addition, the recruitment of District Court judges and permanent magistrates will begin later this year, while the latest round of recruitment for Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court was launched last November.