Zheng Jinman, a former member of Passionate Citizens, and five others were charged with obstructing justice during the siege of PolyU by the police in 2019. They were accused of climbing a canal to escape from PolyU or providing assistance.
Zheng Jinman was charged with rioting in the middle of the trial. They pleaded not guilty earlier and went to trial.
At the conclusion of the case, the defense pointed out that there was poisonous gas and sewage in the underground channels, and Zheng and others could not leave PolyU on foot with only gas masks and headlamps.
The case was decided in the District Court today (14th). Deputy Judge Cheng Nian Chi ruled that Zheng was guilty of rioting, but not guilty of attempting to obstruct justice. The other four were convicted of attempting to obstruct justice.
The five defendants are: He Zhihao (28 years old, decoration worker), Zheng Jinman (32 years old, former assistant to the Legislative Council member), Chen Qixian (33 years old, executive director of the Home Affairs Department), Feng Sirui (30 years old, stage lighting worker), Lin Yongwen (31 years old, advertising director), was charged with attempting to obstruct justice with others in Hong Kong on November 20, 2019, that is, obstructing the arrest of the Hong Kong Police Force.
Zheng Jinman (left) was charged with rioting in the middle of the trial.
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Prosecution adds riot charge during trial
After the prosecution had finished presenting evidence earlier, it suddenly applied to charge Zheng Jinman with one crime of rioting.
The defense raised strong objections, questioning that the prosecution made the application because the judge had earlier been concerned about the weakness of the prosecution's evidence, calling it "very unfair".
However, deputy judge Zheng Nianci finally approved the prosecution's application, but based on fairness considerations, the prosecution was not allowed to reopen the case or summon witnesses for the crime of rioting. Zheng then denied the charge.
The police received news that some demonstrators suspected to have escaped from PolyU through a canal
According to the prosecution plan, the police received news that some demonstrators suspected of fleeing PolyU through the gully. When the police officers patrolled in the early morning, they found the defendant He Zhihao running towards Xinmin Building, stopped him, and found a parked car parked on He Keys to vehicles on Zhongxiao Street.
Ho admitted that he wanted to help those who had escaped from PolyU to leave.
On November 20, 2019, the police discovered that someone suspected to have escaped from PolyU through the sewer.
(See the picture below for details)
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The police saw the man holding a flashlight to shine on the mouth of the drain
In the morning of the same day, the police found the defendant Chen Qixian and man A holding flashlights at the mouth of the canal outside the mansion in the Hung Hom Peninsula. Another person climbed out from the mouth of the canal one after another; as for the defendants Feng Sirui and Lin Yongwen, they were in their private cars at the time and got out of the car several times to observe the situation at the mouth of the canal.
According to the driving recorder recording, Lin Zeng said: "More and more people go to the hole" and "I saw someone in the hole who fell and swam the rope to rescue the emergency person." The police officers later arrested 4 people.
The defense pointed out that the underground channel has poisonous gas and it is difficult to walk to the mouth of the channel
The defense pointed out that the female police chief who testified only saw Zheng walking out of the gate, and could not confirm that Zheng was "coming out of the PolyU riot." The female police chief agreed.
The defense also cited the testimony of drainage engineering experts that there was poisonous gas and sewage in the underground channels, questioning that Zheng was only wearing a gas mask and a headlamp at that time, and was unable to walk about 500 meters through the underground channels to the place of arrest.
Case No.: DCCC 363, 314/2021
Conflict at PolyU | Zheng Jinman and other 8 people suspected of escaping through the canal Two men pleaded to provide justice and await punishment for the case of escape from PolyU by climbing the canal Zheng Jinman was adjourned for the riot charges next month to make his closing statement