InMediaHK admits failing to keep registers; fined HK$10,000; director pleads it has always served the public interest
《獨媒》認沒備存登記冊 罰款一萬 董事求情稱一直為公眾利益服務
InMediaHK was summonsed for failing in August 2024 to keep registers of its members and directors at its registered office. Director Damon Wong Chun-pong pleaded guilty on Wednesday (6th) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts to two offences under the Companies Ordinance. The charges stated that someone had reported the matter. In mitigation, Wong said InMediaHK was a small online media outlet operating on a non-profit basis and had always served the public interest. Its shareholders and directors had not taken dividends for years, while losses had accumulated to more than HK$300,000. Wong asked the court for leniency. Acting Magistrate Chung Keung Chu said that, having considered the circumstances of the case and the defence mitigation, the court fined InMediaHK HK$5,000 for each summons. The costs were to be deducted from the fines. InMediaHK said in a statement after the ruling that the matter resulted from a temporary oversight and had been corrected, adding that it would “continue to uphold its original purpose and strive for press freedom in Hong Kong”.
《獨立媒體》被票控於 2024 年 8 月，沒將成員及董事的登記冊備存在其公司的註冊辦事處內。董事黃俊邦周三（6 日）在東區裁判法院承認兩項《公司條例》下罪名，控罪指有人告發事件。 黃求情時稱《獨媒》為網上媒體，規模較小，以非牟利形式營運，一直為公眾利益服務，股東及董事多年來沒有分取花紅，至今累積 30 多萬元的虧損，望法庭輕判。 暫委裁判官朱仲強稱，考慮案情、辯方求情等，判《獨媒》就每張傳票罰款 5,000 元，訟費則在罰款中扣除。《獨媒》在判決後發聲明指事件屬一時錯失，已作更正，「會繼續秉承初衷，為香港的新聞自由努力」。