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Hong Kong protests: taxi driver accused of ramming crowd can face private prosecution, court rules
- 59-year-old must respond to dangerous driving allegations after court gives lawmaker Ted Hui go-ahead
- Incident occurred in Sham Shui Po in October during rally against government’s mask ban
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A Hong Kong court has said a private prosecution in relation to last year’s anti-government protests can continue, ordering a taxi driver who allegedly rammed his cab into a crowd of protesters to respond to allegations of dangerous driving in the dock.
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Cheng Kwok-chuen will be given a summons requiring him to attend Eastern Court to face one count of dangerous driving over the incident in Sham Shui Po on October 6, when protesters rallied against the government’s mask ban.
It is the first private prosecution related to the civil unrest that began almost a year ago.
In February, Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung initiated the proceedings – a rare measure allowed for under Section 14 of the Magistrates Ordinance – against Cheng after the Department of Justice took no legal action against the 59-year-old driver.
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On Friday, Eastern Court Magistrate Lam Tsz-kan ruled Hui had sufficient evidence to prosecute Cheng, and allowed him to further his case. A hearing date will be fixed after Cheng receives the summons.
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