When the male group MIRROR held a concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum on July 28 last year, a giant TV screen hanging above the stage fell and crushed two dancers, among whom Moses Li is still in need of medical treatment.
The three project managers and project coordinators of the concert's main contractor, Entertainment Impact and its extension company, were later found to be suspected of falsely declaring the weight of the equipment, and were charged with conspiracy to defraud and alternatively fraud, the case went on trial yesterday (Oct. 17) at the District Court.
The prosecution pointed out in its opening statement that the actual weight of the entire load chart of the stage suspension equipment was 50,000 pounds, which was 4.2 times the declared weight, which means overweight by more than three times, and the actual weights of the six LED screens and the eight loudspeakers were 2.7 times and 7.7 times the declared weights.
The prosecution summoned the then Operations Manager of the Hong Kong Coliseum to give evidence, stating that the LCSD had always given primary consideration to public safety in all forms of concerts and that if the information provided by the organizer did not tally with the actual weight, the organizer would not allow the event to go on.
In cross-examination, the defense claimed that the stage construction industry relied on experience, that people in the industry generally did not have high academic or professional qualifications, and that they did not have knowledge of mechanics or structure. The Operations Manager responded that this did not mean that they were unaware of the importance of the information on the load chart.
The trial will continue today (Oct. 18).
Related News:
Anson Lo expects wonderful performances at 'HKT x WESTK POPFEST' music festival
Comment