Xu Zhifeng absconded overseas for hearing in absentia

　　China News Service, Hong Kong, January 26 (Reporter Wang Jiacheng) Xu Zhifeng, a former member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region who absconded overseas, filed an appeal against the conviction in the case of stealing the mobile phone of the female senior executive officer of the Security Bureau in the Legislative Council the year before.

The High Court opened a hearing on the 26th, but Xu Zhifeng did not appear in court and was not represented by a lawyer. The judge finally decided to dismiss his appeal immediately.

　　The judge pointed out that the court received a letter from the law firm that originally represented Xu Zhifeng on the 21st of this month, requesting to no longer represent the appellant.

Xu Zhifeng also suspected that he sent a letter to the court by fax on the 22nd, requesting termination of the appeal hearing, but the court could not confirm that the letter was sent by him.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the fax was also received, but there was a signature on the letter, no return address or contact information, and it could not prove that the letter was indeed sent by Xu himself. Therefore, it should not be regarded as Xu Zhifeng's letter of giving up the appeal.

　　The judge finally stated that because the appellant did not appear in court and did not send a lawyer to respond to the hearing, he issued an order to reject Xu Zhifeng's appeal.

　　The case occurred on April 24, 2018. Xu Zhifeng snatched the mobile phone of the female senior executive officer of the Security Bureau outside the Legislative Council Chamber. He was convicted of ordinary assault, obstructing public officials from performing their duties, dishonestly gaining benefits and using computers. A 240-hour social service order and a fine of 3,800 Hong Kong dollars were imposed.

It had completed the social service order earlier, but still requested an appeal.

　　Xu Zhifeng, who was charged with nine other counts, declared “in exile” overseas in December last year and is currently wanted by the police.

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