Hong Kong appeal judges accuse former TVB general manager of putting cart before the horse

Three Court of Appeal judges found that a request by former TVB general manager Stephen Chan Chi-wan to delay his conviction and sentencing was like asking the courts to put the cart before the horse, according to their judgment.

The judges rejected Chan’s request to order a District Court judge not to convict and sentence him on a bribery charge on the coming Friday as he was making an application to the top court. The judges handed down their reasons today.

READ MORE: Former TVB manager Stephen Chan and assistant face guilty verdicts in bribery charge over HK$112,000 TV show payment

They explained it was the court’s usual practice to convict and sentence a defendant.

“Barrister Joseph Tse SC [representing Chan] claimed the Court of Final Appeal may grant leave for Chan to appeal and allow his application. Tse based on this ground to argue that the trial judge was not necessary to convict Chan at this stage. This argument is fundamentally putting a cart before a horse,” the judgment said.

Chan was twice acquitted by District Court judge Poon Siu-tung for receiving HK$112,000 without informing TVB for hosting his talk show Be My Guest at Olympian City in Tai Kok Tsui on New Year’s Eve 2009.

READ MORE: Former TVB boss Stephen Chan loses request to delay sentencing in bribery case