Lai trial adjourned awaiting sedition charge decision
The High Court has adjourned the national security trial of Jimmy Lai to Friday, to give judges time to consider whether a sedition charge against the former media tycoon was laid within the statutory time limit. Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, is accused of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring to print seditious publications. Senior counsel Robert Pang, representing Lai, had argued that the charge over seditious publications was made after the maximum six-month period following the alleged offence. He noted that Lai was brought to court for the first time to face the charge on December 28, 2021, four days past the statutory limit.  The defence lawyer continued his argument on day two of the trial by saying that prosecutors should lay a charge as soon as possible if someone had allegedly published something seditious, and not “sit on their backsides [and] do nothing”.  Barrister Jon Wong, representing three firms linked to the now-defunct outlet, agreed with Lai’s legal team, and noted the companies were charged even later, in February 2022. But Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau said the prosecution had in fact been instituted within the time limit, arguing that the starting point should be taken as the time when the court received information about the charge, which was on December 13, 2021. The prosecutor added that conspiracy is by nature a continuing act, and therefore all relevant materials published between April 1, 2019 and June 24, 2021 should be taken into consideration as part of the case. Judge Esther Toh said it will take time for the three-judge bench to consider the arguments before handing down a decision on Friday.