2012年1月13日星期五

再談終審法院受騙案


尼籍毒販加監4年

假證供騙倒終院官斥行徑可怕

【明報專訊】持加拿大護照的尼日利亞裔男子,因販毒被判囚18年,在獄中多次被控襲擊懲教員,其中一次自製假文件上訴終審法院,5名終院法官被騙並推翻罪名。他早前被裁定妨礙司法公正及使用假文書副本罪成,法官昨日連珠炮發,狠批被告行徑「可怕、驚人、詭計多端、有計謀及空前」,決定加刑4年。

早年判18年 重申自己無辜


被告Brian Alfred Hall(35歲)讀至中學,報稱在尼日利亞當足球員及商人,最早可於今年3月出獄,如被告就涉及獄中紀律聆訊的司法覆核成功,應可豁免入獄440日。他昨日為了親自讀出求情信,一度向法庭要求辭退代表大律師戴奧偉,最後獲法庭准許讀信。他於求情時再重申自己無辜,強調在赤柱監獄的嚴密環境下不可能犯事,而今次求情非因後悔,只因已坐牢多年。

區域法院法官葉佐文形容涉案控罪驚人,被告多年來自編自導自演,攻擊司法系統及監獄保安,又利用監獄保安漏洞犯事,計謀深遠,行為明目張膽。葉官指被告花大量時間與同謀策劃行動,行為「可怕、驚人、詭計多端、有計謀及空前」,整個計謀只為哄騙法庭,後果深遠。

利用監獄保安漏洞犯事

被告於1998年被判監18年,其間三度被控普通襲擊懲教署職員,在首案中遭加刑6個月。他就此上訴至終院時,才稱涉案兩名懲教員有另一版本的「口供」未有披露,2009年推翻了定罪。他另以同一方式,於其餘兩次審訊時提交懲教員另一版本「口供」,其後並向高院法官任懿君,就其司法覆核索取法律意見。

警方於2008年尾展開調查,律政司翌年5月亦展開內部調查,懲教署向警方證實被告偽造口供,搜查發現被告以書信向一名菲律賓女子下達指示,向居於尼日利亞胞妹聯絡,協助他犯案。 
(13/1/2012 明報)

標少在終審法院再受騙一文評論過這件案,昨日被告被加監4年,我相信他一定會為定罪及判刑上訴。騙法庭的妨礙司法公正,可以講是最嚴重的一種,尤其是騙終審法院,總刑期4年一點也不過重,再重一點也應該,以儆後効。對案情事實方面的分析能力,我不止一次講,終審法院的大老爺未必勝過下級法院的法官,我想他們在聽審上訴時,應該盡量不要在案情事實方面作出干擾。在法律知識方面是權威,並不等同事實裁斷也是翹楚。終審法院的首要功能是對正確法律作闡釋,而並非事無大小,甚麼都管。囿於生活的閱歷,有些事終院法官認為是固有非或然性的(inherent improbability),只是他們生活接觸面狹窄,不懂而已。

這件案說明我們不應一味崇拜權威,終審法院殿堂級的法官也可以受蒙騙,大道理講得多,只受人膜拜,飄飄欲仙。這一跤很明顯也跌得痛,有誰知有多少跤應跌而沒有跌的呢!標少一向奉勸各位不要盲目崇拜權威,先嘴嚼一下那些大道理,看看是否消化得來。

上次講在終院上訴代表控方的張維新(Patrick Cheung)要為終院受騙負主要責任,講的時候並沒有收到甚麼風聲,都是看畢判辭後得到的印象。今天明報講律政司也曾為此事作內部調查。調查甚麼呢?當然包括有沒有人失職。從判辭看,張維新怎樣解釋也缷不了責任。對於那些動輒就concede的主控,我要奉勸一句,先做好準備工夫,據理力爭,爭輸了就尊重法官的判決,未必需要concede。真正應該concede的案件,少之又少。沒有鬥心的人,不要做主控。沒有鬥心的主控,winning a case with a losing heart。

6 則留言:

  1. The appeal by the Defendant will be heard by the Court of Appeal in the week of 4 Feb 2013 for 2 days). The DPP, Kevin Zervos SC will personally lead the case.

    If we do a search at www.hklii.org, we can note how Mr. Hall "contributes" to the development of the jurisprudence in Hong Kong.

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    1. David,

      Once again my salutation to you for feeding me the information. I seldom browse www.hklii.org.

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  2. Bill

    Pls allow me to say, I learn so much from your blog so I should be the person to take the hat off. By reading your blog, I know what is mean by 山外有山 人外有人!

    If my information is correct, the appeal will be heard next Tues & Wed.

    Thanks again for all your insights and sharing. I really enjoy in reading your blog.

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  3. Bill

    Happy Chinese New Year! I wish you have a very blessed and healthy Year of Snake. I am sorry that I do not update you earlier about the result of the hearing

    The hearing lasted for one day only. The appeal by the Defendant against conviction was dismissed and the application by the Secretary of Justice for review of sentence was allowed. Reasons for judgment (including the sentence) is yet to be handed down by the Court of Appeal.

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    1. David,

      Happy Chinese New Year to you too. You have a prosperous Year of the Snake too. Thank you for the update. I have not seen any development reported in the media nor did I see the judgment. I will wait for the upload. Thank you so much. I hope the mentioning of your name did not give you any trouble.

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  4. Bill

    Of course not.



    The judgment was out yesterday (CAAR1/2012) and the total sentence is increased from 4 years to 6 years and 9 months.

    In fact, the Court of Appeal originally want to impose a sentence of 8 years However, given the District Court jurisdiction, they reduce it to 7 years. They further reduce it for 3 months as the sentence is greatly in excess of the original sentence.

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