Man appears in court over Jimmy Lai ‘collusion’ case

A 30-year-old legal assistant appeared in court on Monday over an alleged collusion case involving media tycoon Jimmy Lai and activist Andy Li – one of 12 Hongkongers accused of trying to escape prosecution in the SAR by fleeing to Taiwan.

Chan Tsz-wah has been charged under the national security law and is accused of asking a foreign country to impose sanctions on Hong Kong.

He is also accused of colluding with Lai to help Li in his alleged bid to escape the SAR and travel to Taiwan by speedboat.

Li and 11 others were picked up by the Guangdong coast guard in August 2020 before being detained in Shenzhen.

National security magistrate Victor So on Monday agreed to requests by both the prosecution and the defence to adjourn the hearing at West Kowloon Magistracy for three days, for preparations to be made for the case to be transferred to the High Court.

Chan, who did not apply for bail, was remanded in custody.