Jimmy Lai Triumphs in Fraud Appeal Following 20-Year Imprisonment

Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy media tycoon from Hong Kong, won an appeal in a fraud case on Thursday (February 26), just days after being sentenced to 20 years in prison on national security charges.

Jimmy Lai’s surprising victory

Lai won an appeal in a fraud case arising from a contractual dispute and unrelated to the allegations he faces under national security law. “(We) allow the appeals, quash the convictions, and set aside the sentences,” stated High Court Chief Judge Jeremy Poon in delivering his decision. The judge also stated that Lai, who is now in jail, has been granted permission to not appear in court in person.

The stunning victory follows a two-decade prison sentence on collaboration accusations issued by Beijing’s strict national security regulations. Prosecutors in the fraud prosecution said that Lai’s personal consultancy firm had taken over office space that Apple Daily had initially rented for printing and publishing. This was deemed to be in violation of the terms of the lease signed by Lai’s Apple Daily with a government agency, and thus constituted fraud, according to prosecutors.

However, on Thursday, the judge determined that “the prosecution has failed to prove that the applicants made the false representation as alleged.”

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Along with Lai, Wong Wai-Keung, a former executive of Apple Daily, was also charged with fraud. He received a 21-month prison sentence in 2022. His conviction and sentence have now been quashed.

In 2022, the media tycoon behind the now-defunct Apple Daily was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison for what the trial court described as a “planned, organised, and years-long” scam, according to AFP. Two of these years were to coincide with Lai’s 20-year sentence in the national security case.

However, Chinese authorities insisted that Lai was “in good health” and got “appropriate” care.

Supporters allege Jimmy Lai has long faced political persecution in the courts. Some have questioned the decision to overturn the sentence on Thursday.