Ex-lawmaker out on bail amid raps tied to naming probe target

Michael Shum

Former legislator Lam Cheuk-ting has been granted bail but banned from leaving Hong Kong for allegedly naming a police commander who was under investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in connection with the infamous assaults in Yuen Long MTR station on July 21 last year.

Lam, 43, previously an investigator with the ICAC, was charged with three courts of disclosing the identity of a person under investigation by the commission.

The Eastern Court was told that Lam identified Yuen Long assistant district commander Yau Nai-keung as the target of a probe into anti-bribery laws on December 30, 2019 and January 21 and July 16 this year.

No plea was taken from Lam when he went before principal magistrate Bina Chainrai. The case was adjourned to March 9, allowing time for Lam's defense to collect documents from the prosecution and to give him legal advice.

The Democratic Party member was released on HK$2,000 bail. Before appearing in court with a T-shirt bearing an ICAC logo Lam repeated a claim that he was being persecuted politically and that there was more to come.

He claimed to have been "relentless in my efforts to investigate the July 21 assaults, but before arresting any police officers I am facing eight charges as the victim and complainant," said Lam, who represented New Territories East before resigning en masse with other pan-democrats.

"Arresting me clearly marks the fall of the ICAC," he said. "It again demonstrates the fall of Hong Kong."

Lam was arrested at his Sha Tin home around 7am yesterday by ICAC officers.

He went on to say he had only been crying foul on the misconduct in public office demonstrated by police officers while handling the Yuen Long assaults and had not breached any rules or laws.

There was also a nine-minute video uploaded to Lam's social media page showing the scene outside his home yesterday morning.

He is seen opening the gate at his home after verbal exchanges with officers that included him telling them he was being arrested for political reasons.

He was taken to ICAC headquarters in North Point before being released two hours later. He went to court on his own later.

The ICAC alleged that Lam knowingly disclosed to the public the identity of a person involved in its investigation without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, contrary to the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

The commission said Lam was arrested after investigations and legal advice was provided by the Department of Justice.

It was on July 21 last year that more than 100 white-clad men armed with sticks and batons stormed into Yuen Long MTR station close to midnight and attacked anti-extradition bill protesters, passengers and bystanders.

Thirty-seven people had been arrested and seven were charged with rioting and conspiracy to wound with intent.

The police force had been criticized for taking 39 minutes to respond to the attacks, with officers arriving just after the mob had left the scene.

Two officers arrived seven minutes after the incident and then left to call for reinforcements.

Some 45 people were injured by the attackers in the incident, including Lam, who needed 18 stitches for a mouth wound.

Lam has been a vocal critic of police's handling of the incident, accusing them of colluding with triads.

His partymate, Andrew Wan Siu-kin, filed a complaint to the ICAC three days after the incident, alleging Yau committed misconduct in public office for colluding with the assailants.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com