Radio host denied bail in sedition case

The West Kowloon Magistracy on Wednesday denied bail to a radio host accused of acting with seditious intent.

Chief magistrate Victor So said the court didn’t have sufficient grounds to believe that Wan Yiu-sing, also known as “Giggs”, will not re-offend if granted bail.

While the alleged offences fall outside the national security law, the prosecution argued that it involves acts endangering national security.

The prosecution had earlier urged So to consider the Court of Final Appeal’s ruling on Tuesday that set aside media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s bail application, pointing out that there was a higher threshold to grant bail to national security-related cases compared with other criminal proceedings.

Wan, 52, was charged with four counts of acting with a seditious intention in online programmes that he hosted between August and October last year.

The court heard that he allegedly intended to bring hatred or contempt against the mainland and SAR governments and incited others to resort to illegal means to change “things in Hong Kong that are established by the law”.

The case was adjourned to May 10 as the prosecutors requested more time for the police investigation.

Last November, Wan was arrested for his alleged links to a fundraising campaign for Hong Kong protesters who want to go to Taiwan, but was not charged under the national security law.