Hong Kong - A second man was on Monday jailed in Hong Kong for three years for his part in a suspected plot to shoot pro-democracy champion Martin Lee. Decorator Ho Wai-kan appeared in court pleading guilty to possession of a gun and ammunition which he had smuggled over the border from China for Chinese would-be hit man Huang Nanhua.
However, Ho claimed he had not known what was in the bag and last week testified in the trial of Huang, who was jailed for 16 years last week in Hong Kong's High Court for possession of the gun and five rounds ammunition with intent to commit an arrestable offence.
Fifty-year-old Huang was found with the gun when he was arrested in a routine police check on a taxi last August.
During his trial, the prosecution claimed he was sent to Hong Kong with instructions to target 71-year-old Lee. A photograph and the home address of media tycoon Jimmy Lai were also found on him when he was arrested.
In the hearing, the court heard Huang had later told police he had come to Hong Kong to "teach someone a lesson."
Lee is the retired founder of Hong Kong's Democratic Party and was campaigning for colleagues in last year's Legislative Council elections when Huang was arrested.
When news of the alleged plot first became public in May, he remarked: "I have never feared death. It would be an honour to shed blood for democracy."
However, he said he did not believe the mainland government was behind the incident, saying Chinese officials were "more keen to use character assassination."
Jimmy Lai, who owns the Apple Daily newspaper, is a persistent critic of China and a supporter of pro-democracy movements in the communist-led country.
Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" arrangement allowing political freedoms and freedom of speech denied to people in the rest of China.
