Macau (MNA) – Jorge Menezes, a Portuguese lawyer practicing in the Macau SAR since 1998, will defend legislator Sulu Sou Ka Hou and his colleague at New Macau Association, Scott Chiang, on the trial for aggravated disobedience they are to face on January 9, TDM reported on Sunday.
According to an announcement released today by the Association cited by the local radio broadcaster, the lawyer was quoted as saying that the defence has urgently requested the adjournment of the trial due to the importance of the case.
As of today, the court has not yet pronounced about the request, so that the beginning of the trial at the Court of First Instance should proceed as scheduled on Tuesday, unless the the court announces a change until that day.
Mr. Menezes was a civil liberties and criminal lawyer before focussing more on litigation, tort, corporate, gaming, and administrative law. He worked as a legal advisor for the Macau Government before starting practicing law in 1998 in Macau, where he is currently a partner in his law firm and a private notary.
Both Mr. Sou and Mr. Chiang are facing charges of aggravated public disobedience linked to a demonstration organised by the New Macau Association in March 2016 to protest against a RMB100 million donation provided to Jinan University by the Macao Foundation.
The Association perceived the donation engendered a conflict of interests owing to the fact that the MSAR Chief Executive, Fernando Chui Sai On, is simultaneously the Vice Chairman of the university and President of the Council of Trustees of the Macau Foundation.
On December 4, the Legislative Assembly (AL) voted in favour of temporarily suspending Mr. Sou from his functions as a legislator, which opened the path for conducting him to trial.
The youngest legislator in the history of the city is now facing a possible plenary vote to decide on the permanent termination of his representative functions at AL if he receives a sentence equal to or greater than 30 days.
According to the MSAR law, individuals found guilty of aggravated public disobedience are subject to a penalty of up to two years in prison or 240 days of fine.
(updates add clarification on third paragraph about the possibility of change of trial date if the court pronounces itself before the date currently scheduled for the trial)
