HK ‘abduction victim’ held for misleading cops

HONG KONG: A member of Hong Kong’s prodemocracy Democratic Party was arrested yesterday for “misleading police” after he said he was abducted and beaten by agents from China who punctured his legs with staples.

Howard Lam ( pix) said he had been kidnapped from a busy Hong Kong street in broad daylight over his plan to send a signed photo of footballer Lionel Messi to the widow of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

It is illegal for mainland agents to operate in semiautonomous Hong Kong, but the alleged abductions of a bookseller and a reclusive mainland businessman have put the city on edge.

Police said yesterday their investigation had cast doubt on Lam’s story, saying he had provided false information to mislead them.

But supporters of Lam questioned whether the case was being properly investigated. Lam remained in custody yesterday. His arrest came after a report by local news agency FactWire, which acquired CCTV footage it said showed Lam walking in the Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood after the time he alleged he had been abducted from there.

It reported some of the footage appeared to show Lam wearing a cap, surgical mask and sunglasses and said his gait and clothes matched earlier footage that showed his face.

“He was alone by himself, no one was seen being carried off,” FactWire said.

When shown the footage, Lam denied it was him, saying it could be a body double. – AFP