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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Ninety-year-old Cardinal Zen, 5 others convicted over protestor relief fund
Five trustees and the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund secretary were on Friday found guilty of failing to register the fund as per legal requirements in the West Kowloon Magistrate’s Court.
Ninety-year-old Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, was among the group that went on trial in September over their alleged roles in the fund that had been set up to pay protesters' legal and medical fees.
Zen was a trustee alongside former legislators Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, 74, and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, 68, Cantopop singer Denise Ho Wan-see, 45, cultural studies scholar Hui Po-keung, 62, and Sze Ching-wee, 37, who served as secretary for the fund before it shut down in October last year.
Zen and other former fund trustees were each fined HK$4,000, while former fund secretary Sze was ordered to pay a HK$2,500 penalty.
Ng said outside court that because of the court's lengthy judgement, the defendants would need some time before they could decide whether to pursue the matter further.
The six previously pleaded not guilty to a single charge each of "failing to apply for registration or exemption from registration within the specified time under the Societies Ordinance" from July 16, 2019 to October 31, 2021. The offense carries a maximum fine of HK$10,000.
Zen was a trustee alongside former legislators Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, 74, and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, 68, Cantopop singer Denise Ho Wan-see, 45, cultural studies scholar Hui Po-keung, 62, and Sze Ching-wee, 37, who served as secretary for the fund before it shut down in October last year.
Zen and other former fund trustees were each fined HK$4,000, while former fund secretary Sze was ordered to pay a HK$2,500 penalty.
Ng said outside court that because of the court's lengthy judgement, the defendants would need some time before they could decide whether to pursue the matter further.
The six previously pleaded not guilty to a single charge each of "failing to apply for registration or exemption from registration within the specified time under the Societies Ordinance" from July 16, 2019 to October 31, 2021. The offense carries a maximum fine of HK$10,000.
