Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal on Thursday dismisses appeals by four former police officers convicted over a drug-planting and evidence cover-up involving a homeless man. The officers are found to have intended to pervert the course of justice after they tried to obstruct surveillance cameras during an anti-drug operation on February 4, 2020, while colleagues allegedly fabricated evidence against a street sleeper. The convictions stem from claims that the man was framed for drug possession and that actions were taken to conceal what occurred, including the destruction or obstruction of evidence related to the incident.
In its written ruling, the appellate court says the officers’ conduct indicates they meant to disrupt oversight and undermine the integrity of the proceedings. As a result, the Court of Appeal upholds the jail terms and convictions, ruling against the officers’ attempts to overturn them. The decision is presented as affirming that the officers abandoned the rule of law, according to one report, while the other describes the ruling in terms of intent to obstruct justice.
