Jimmy Lai Found Not Guilty In Intimidation Case

Next Media founder Jimmy Lai has been found not guilty of intimidating a reporter from a rival media group by the West Kowloon Magistracy.

The magistrate expressed doubts over the reporter’s testimony and did not believe Lai’s “threats” were calculated to cause fear.

Lai sat relaxed in the back of the packed courtroom, wearing a grey jacket still damp from the thunderstorm that had rolled through Kowloon on his arrival.

Delivering the verdict, Magistrate May Chung said the prosecution had not proven that Lai had threatened an Oriental Daily reporter with personal injury, and they hadn’t shown his “threats” had intended to alarm the reporter.

They hadn’t proven the offence, and Lai was therefore not guilty, she ruled.

The charge of criminal intimidation stemmed from an altercation between Lai and the reporter – referred to as X in court – during the annual June 4 candlelight vigil in 2017.

Lai was accused of scolding the Oriental Daily reporter, shouting that he would “mess him up”, and swearing and pointing at him.

However, Magistrate Chung said she found X was not a honest or reliable witness. She said he had been evasive, and his words weren’t believable.

She notes that X had been assigned to a special team tasked with finding stories and following public figures including Lai – and this had led to animosity between the pair.

She said X’s reaction to the scolding by Lai – laughing and smiling, and asking Lai why he was so grumpy – were not the reactions of a man who was genuinely scared.

Lai’s outburst appeared to be the “wild” language of a man driven to exasperation, she said, referring to the many years he had been followed and disturbed by this reporter.

She said the fact that Lai had repeatedly turned away and come back to scold the reporter showed it wasn’t a calculated attempt to instil fear, nor was it well planned or premeditated.

Instead, she said, he seemed to have temporarily lost his temper.

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