Hong Kong Government commences prosecutions over failure of giant screen at pop concert
Prosecutions have been initiated against three companies involved in a freak accident during a concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum last July which saw a giant screen fall onto dancers - one of whom remains in hospital.
The Hong Kong Labour Department has advised that upon completion of its investigations into the incident, which happened during a concert by popular boyband Mirror, it was found that the three companies - Engineering Impact, Hip Hing Loong Stage Engineering Company and Studiodanz Company - were suspected of breaching ordinances related to occupational safety and employees’ compensation.
The 15 prosecutions come around six months after the incident, with the case to be heard at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court on 27th March.
Three Engineering Impact Limited employees linked to the incident have appeared in the Hong Kong District Court charged with conspiracy to defraud.
The trio - Ng Hoi-ying, Joseph Leung and Lam Chi-wah face charges of conspiracy to defraud for allegedly under-reporting the weight of stage apparatus.
They were among five apprehended in November on suspicion of fraud and allowing objects to fall. Hong Kong Police have advised that the other two people had been released unconditionally.
The trio, employees of the principal contractor of the Mirror concert, face charges of falsifying equipment data to get approval with intent to induce the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to expedite a vetting process for the show.
If convicted, they could face up to seven years in jail.
Following the incident, a task force led by the LCSD undertook an investigation to identify the cause.
Announcing the findings of the investigation in November, Hong Kong Police said it was believed that Engineering Impact Limited purposefully made a false declaration so that it could secure a permit from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to ensure that the series of 12 shows went ahead as scheduled.
The Police said the biggest discrepancy between the actual weight of the equipment and the declared data was more than seven times.
One of the dancers, Mo Li Kai-yin, suffered serious injuries to his neck and was left at risk of permanent paralysis. He is still being treated in hospital, according to local media.
The Mirror concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum - tickets for which were in high demand - were cancelled after the incident with LCSD subsequently barring suspended installations at upcoming events.
Image: A screen falling during the performance by boy band Mirror at the Hong Kong Coliseum in July last year. Credit: Instagram.
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