Hong Kong Case Law: Decisions & Judgments | LexChat

Hong Kong Case Law

Occupancy inference
  • 15 Jan 2020

    HKSAR v. JOSEPH NABEEL

    Citation
    [2020] HKCA 44
    Court
    Court of Appeal
    Case number
    CACC181/2018

    The appeal was allowed because the prosecution framed the case on the appellant's occupancy of Room 3576 but the admissible evidence was insufficient to permit the jury to infer occupancy and consequent possession for trafficking as the only reasonable inference; prejudicial hearsay was admitted and investigative failures further weakened the case so the court could not be sure the jury accepted the officers' evidence of attempted disposal; substitution was inappropriate and retrial was refused as not in the interests of justice given delay and investigative shortcomings.