The Judiciary confirms that Magistrate Yip Kai-liang has resigned after expiration of his contract and does not comment on whether complaints are involved | Independent media reports | Independent media

[Independent media report]There have been personnel changes in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts. Yip Kai-liang, who was appointed as the permanent magistrate in 2017, “Independent Media” recently learned that he is no longer serving as a magistrate. The judiciary confirmed that Ye Qiliang had “resigned after the expiration of his contract.” As for whether his resignation involves any public complaints or improper handling of cases, the Judiciary said it does not comment on the work arrangements of individual judges and judicial officers.

The resignation has taken effect and the information is missing on the page.

The 47-year-old Yip Kai-liang was appointed as a permanent magistrate in 2017. According to information from the judiciary at the time, he was born in Hong Kong in 1976. He was qualified as a barrister in England and Wales in 2003 and in Hong Kong in 2005. Started private practice. He briefly served as a deputy judge in the District Court last year.

“Independent Media” once inquired from the judiciary whether Ye Qiliang’s resignation was related to public complaints or any improper handling of the case. It also asked whether Ye was involved in being fired. The Judiciary clarified that “Magistrate Yip Kai-liang has resigned after the expiration of his contract” and did not comment on the work arrangements of individual judges and judicial officers. At present, the Judiciary’s website no longer displays Yip Kai-liang’s information.

At the beginning of the month, he was found not guilty of theft related to off-duty work.

According to reports, he handled a case of suspected theft by off-duty senior police officer Su Zhihua at the beginning of the month, and he ruled that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol and was not guilty. Although Ye Kai-liang handled anti-amendment demonstration cases from time to time in 2019, according to the annual report of the Advisory Committee on Complaints about Judges’ Conduct last year, among the five follow-up complaints, none were handled by Ye.

It is rare for cases to be overturned in trials. The court finally confirmed that “smoke cakes” were explosives.

Not many of the cases handled by Yip Kai-liang have been appealed. He once handled an explosives case involving smoke cakes (case number: FACC8/2019), which was appealed to the Court of Final Appeal. At that time, Yip Kai-liang ruled that smoke cakes could cause potential bodily harm and that the definition of “explosives” in the Dangerous Goods Ordinance was applicable to Section 55 of the Crimes Ordinance. The Court of Final Appeal ultimately ruled against the appellant and affirmed the view of the lower court.

The Recommendation Committee will not publicly consider factors for renewal. Disclosure is a criminal offence.

In the past, issues related to the renewal of magistrates were handed over to the Recommendation Committee. The Judicial Officers Recommendation Committee Ordinance has a confidentiality clause and unauthorized disclosure of information is a criminal offence. In the 2016 Legislative Council document, public complaints were mentioned as one of the reference factors.documentIt was pointed out that between 2011 and 2015, when the recommendation committee was considering the re-appointment of a judicial officer, it was informed of a complaint against the officer, which was partially true. However, in this specific case, the Judiciary considered that no follow-up action was necessary.