Chapter 271 The verdict is as follows: Go to Stanley to retire!
In court, the presiding judge asked the prosecutor to read out the charges against Zhang Chongbang and others, including manslaughter, torture resulting in death, violation of police regulations, tampering, fabrication of facts, fraud and as many as seven other charges.
"Bring the witness to court."
The presiding judge proceeded to the next item solemnly.
Eight citizens who were rescued in Room 1304 of Guangchang Building were brought into the courtroom, ready to testify one by one.
"Master, we killed someone and saved these citizens. They will definitely speak for us, right?"
Lu Sihui asked nervously in a low voice.
"certainly."
Zhang Chongbang answered decisively and confidently, and this answer made his subordinates feel a little more at ease.
That’s right, they were the ones who saved these people, it doesn’t make sense not to protect them.
The testimony of the eight citizens was critical enough to influence the jury's verdict on them.
The first person to appear in court was the bald old man in the striped sweatshirt at 1304. Today he wore a white shirt.
Standing in the witness stand, swearing on the Bible:
"I swear before Almighty God that the testimony I have given is true and complete, and there is no falsehood."
After taking the oath, he made a statement about the events at that time and gave his testimony.
"Strictly speaking, we are not the ones who were saved by Zhang Sir and his men, because the bomb is basically a toy. Even if it explodes, it will not cause any harm. Killing people for this is too much."
The great white shark's expression froze instantly, and he looked at the old man in disbelief with his eyes wide open.
Zhang Chongbang's eyes were also full of surprise.
As soon as this testimony came out, he felt like he was hit by a stick, and his whole body was shaking slightly.
Everyone was stunned.
Then, the witnesses took the stage one by one, and what they said became increasingly unfavorable to Zhang Chongbang and others.
"As far as I know, Mr. Zhang's wife was also kidnapped at the time. He was so concerned that he was confused. Who knows if they worked so hard to save us or to save his wife?"
"Saving people is the job of a police officer, but killing people is not!"
"I don't know anything. There's no need to beat someone to death!"
…
Witnesses came to testify one by one.
There are old and young, male and female.
Some witnesses turned a blind eye to the matter as it had nothing to do with them.
Some witnesses were dissatisfied with the police's performance on the day of the rescue and took the opportunity to vent.
Some witnesses, after watching the news reports, were outraged and stood up for the victims' families.
There were a variety of answers, but no one stood up to say a good word for Zhang Chongbang and others.
These words, one after another, pierced Zhang Chongbang's heart, like thousands of knives stabbing into him, hitting him completely.
With his fists clenched and his eyes wide open, he looked at the hostages whom he had saved at the cost of his wife, marriage, and future, and his heart began to collapse.
He no longer has the calm and relaxed attitude he used to use when he advised others to be magnanimous and to let things go.
The hatred surging in his heart seemed like a volcano that would erupt at any time. He clenched his teeth and hatred burst out of his eyes.
“KANG!”
Zhang Chongbang held the railing with both hands, and the handcuffs on his hands made a buzzing sound of metallic collision.
He stared at the witnesses intently, suppressing his anger until he was about to explode.
Similarly, Da Baisha, Lu Sihui and other police officers were all enraged. They stood up suddenly, their faces full of anger, and they could no longer bear it.
"Fuck, what are you talking about?"
"Pujie, you bastards, I shouldn't have saved you in the first place!"
"You are repaying kindness with enmity, farmer and snake. You are not worthy of being human beings!"
"You should have blown your mother to death in the first place!"
"What nonsense are you talking about? We saved you, is this how you treat us?"
…
Great White Shark and others had their eyes wide open, their masseter muscles bulging, their veins protruding, their knuckles clenched until they turned white, and they could not suppress their anger and cursed at the witnesses.
Chen Shixian looked over with interest, seeing them struggling, running wild, angry, hating, unwilling, and regretful, and his expression was very comfortable.
"That year in court, Huo Zhaotang treated us the same way. What did Zhang Chongbang say afterwards?"
Baozhu immediately pinched his throat and imitated: "We are the police, saving people is our duty, great favors are not to be repaid, but do good things, do not ask for the future."
After pretending for a while, he snorted with disdain from his nose: "Zhang Chongbang, these bullshit principles are one after another, and they act like saints all day long. Now it's their turn to be repaid with hatred. They are more excited now than we were at that time.
"That face is uglier than eating shit."
"Isn't he magnanimous? Isn't he a Buddhist? Why is he not calm now?"
Chen Shixian raised his lips slightly: "Because persuading people doesn't cost anything."
"It makes him look noble, open-minded, and high-class."
Baozhu, Qiu Gangao, Ahua and the others all looked at Zhang Chongbang with contempt and smiles, as if they were gloating over his misfortune.
"Quiet!"
The presiding judge slammed the gavel heavily and looked at Zhang Chongbang and others with dissatisfaction: "Please remain calm, otherwise, you will be considered to be disrupting the order of the court."
Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and others waited one by one, their faces flushed red, and they slowly sat down.
Each of them, with vicious eyes, chased the hostages off the witness stand.
"Next, please invite the commander at the scene at the time, Superintendent Zhang Wenyao, to testify in court."
Zhang Wenyao walked in and went to the witness stand.
He looked well-dressed and ruddy-faced, not like someone who was going to court but rather someone who was at an awards ceremony, in stark contrast to the gloomy looks of Zhang Chongbang and the others.
After all, Zhang Chongbang and his men were unlucky in the fight to wipe out the thief king's group, but he gained both fame and fortune.
As soon as Zhang Wenyao stood in the witness stand, he saw Chen Shixian in the audience.
He nodded slightly without making any expression and exchanged glances as a greeting.
"Lord, it's Sir Zhang!"
"He will definitely not speak nonsense like those heartless hostages. He will definitely speak for us."
Great White Shark saw Zhang Wenyao coming in and said with hope.
"That's right, Sir Zhang promised at the time that he would protect us!"
Cao Yun spoke.
As long as Zhang Wenyao can testify for them, at least there will be a chance for their torture and death.
Zhang Chongbang looked at Zhang Wenyao and Chen Shixian exchanging secret glances, but his face showed worry.
"Superintendent Zhang, the defendant mentioned in his confession that before the operation began, you ordered them to take hostages first, and hinted to them that you supported whatever method was used, even if it was out of line."
"If anything goes wrong, you will protect them and take care of everything. Is that true?"
“Da da!”
Zhang Wenyao patted the loudspeaker in front of him, and his voice echoed in the empty courtroom.
He cleared his throat and said slowly: "I'm sorry, I think there may be some misunderstanding here."
"As the commander on the scene at the time, I did ask them to rescue the hostages as quickly as possible."
He ignored the earnest looks of Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and the others, and changed the subject: "But I have never asked them to use extraordinary measures, nor have I allowed them to abuse lynching, and of course I will not let them kill people!"
???? !!!!!!
Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and others were shocked when they heard this, and their faces turned extremely ugly.
Were they backstabbed too?
Why say it?
Zhang Chongbang was slightly stunned.
Memory overlaps with the present.
The words that Situ Jie said in court that year and what Zhang Wenyao is saying now are highly overlapping.
At this moment, he was dumbfounded.
So, do they have to follow the same path that Chen Shixian and his group have taken?
No, no!
Zhang Chongbang panicked.
His wife is in the hospital now and is about to give birth. The baby is about to be born.
You can never be a criminal dad.
Although he is not a future star in the police force, he is already an inspector at a young age and has a bright future.
It can't be destroyed like this.
Zhang Chongbang's desire to survive was overwhelming at this moment. He listened to Zhang Wenyao's testimony of denying his involvement, his teeth were almost broken, and he asked loudly with unwillingness on his face:
"Sir Zhang, you clearly promised us that you would protect us. How can you go back on your word now?"
"I just asked you to do something, not to kill anyone, right?"
Zhang Wenyao didn't blush or feel nervous. He didn't care about the life and death of Zhang Chongbang and others. He looked around at everyone present and stated his position loudly: "I am a superintendent and the commander of the scene. As a boss, it is reasonable for me to put pressure on my subordinates in order to solve the case."
"But all this is done under the premise of legality."
"Police officers have taken an oath and memorized police training since their first day on the job. They must strictly abide by rules and regulations no matter when and where they are."
"You must never bend the law for personal gain."
"This is an iron rule and an unchanging bottom line!"
"Every police officer should keep this in mind and remember it at all times!"
Zhang Wenyao spoke righteously and turned the witness testimony into his preaching of justice.
Just kidding, he is now the benchmark of the police force and a created heroic persona.
How could I possibly get mixed up with these rotten fish and shrimps?
What's more, everything he has now is the masterpiece of his financial sponsor Chen Shixian.
He has taken advantage of others and has the leverage over them. If he doesn't cooperate and admit everything he promised in court, he must be crazy.
Chen Shixian nodded slightly, very satisfied with Zhang Wenyao's performance.
"Fuck off, scumbag!"
"You're just a scum who's trying to pass the buck after the fact. You're not even a human being!"
"You son of a bitch, I won't let you go!"
…
Great White Shark, Cao Yun and others were enraged. They looked at Zhang Wenyao's face and cursed him angrily.
Unlike their rage, Zhang Chongbang had a gloomy face. He swept his cold eyes across the faces of Zhang Wenyao and Chen Shixian, with his jawline tense.
Feeling dead.
Everything that happened today was definitely designed, including the testimony in court.
A feeling of despair and deep hatred surged in his heart.
"Defendant, please control your emotions!"
The presiding judge emphasized again.
“Bang, bang!”
The bailiff knocked on the iron fence with his baton, his eyes full of intimidation: "Sit down!"
"Shut up!"
Zhang Chongbang scolded with a sullen look on his face.
It would be futile to continue making a fuss, and it would leave a bad impression on the judge.
Now, everything is out of control and we can only leave it to fate.
Next, those who appeared in court were the new police officer He Luping, who had advised Zhang Chongbang and Great White Shark in Room 1304, and some of his colleagues in the police force who had worked with them day and night.
"At the time, I reminded Zhang Sir and others that torture is illegal and not in compliance with regulations. We are police officers and must remember the bottom line."
"But they didn't listen and went their own way."
The prosecutor asked: "So, at that time, Zhang Chongbang and the others knew exactly what they were doing, right?"
After hesitating for a moment, He Luping nodded: "Yes."
Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and others closed their eyes in despair. Lu Sihui covered her face and began to sob softly.
The last glimmer of hope was completely shattered.
None of their colleagues, who once had a good relationship with them, spoke up for them.
They have completely become abandoned by the police force.
Despair was written all over their faces.
After rounds of evidence were presented, witnesses testified, and the jury voted.
Soon, the presiding judge took the verdict that would decide the fate of Zhang Chongbang and others and announced the result.
"Everyone stand up!"
"In this case, the defendants Zhang Chongbang and others are suspected of seven crimes, including manslaughter, torture resulting in death, violation of police regulations, tampering, fabrication of facts, fraud, etc. After reviewing the case and hearing the testimony of both the prosecution and the defense, this court believes that the evidence is conclusive and sufficient."
"The verdict will now be announced based on the results given by the jury."
"Because the defendant's behavior was of a serious nature and he was a public official, he broke the law knowingly, which aggravated his crime."
"Sentence Zhang Chongbang and others to death!"
The presiding judge raised the gavel in his hand and slammed it down, and everything was settled.
"I now announce that the court is adjourned!"
Below the stage, reporters' flashlights kept flashing, and many cameras focused on the expressions of Zhang Chongbang and others after they heard the verdict.
Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and others were frozen on the spot, as if they were drowning. Their faces looked extremely ugly and even their breathing had stopped.
It took a long time for me to come back to my senses.
Everything that has happened recently seems like a dream.
No one could believe this was true.
Not long ago, they were police officers wearing uniforms and holding power.
Now, tell them that they have all been sentenced to death and are all finished? !
Although there is no real death penalty in Hong Kong, all death sentences will be pardoned by the Queen and become life sentences.
However, this also means that they will have to spend the rest of their lives in Stanley.
Just thinking about it makes me feel so desperate and painful.
“Wow!”
In the audience seats below the court, Baozhu exclaimed exaggeratedly and was extremely excited, as if the presiding judge had announced some good news.
He looked at the judge's back and praised loudly, "The judge is wise and made a good judgment!"
"Fair and just, well judged!"
Qiu Gangao, Ahua, Aquan and others were all very happy as well.
"Swish".
Zhang Chongbang, Great White Shark and others all cast their eyes over here. Baozhu's behavior was like rubbing salt into their wounds.
Dancing on someone else's grave.
"Chen Shixian, I know that all of this is your conspiracy. You are sneaky and use despicable means to distort the facts, reverse right and wrong, and frame us!"
"This is a violation of the law, it's a crime."
"You are so shameless and despicable, you deserve to go to hell!"
At the urging of the bailiff, Zhang Chongbang could not help but turn his head, gnashing his teeth and cursing loudly with red eyes.
"Officer, can you please give me two minutes to speak?"
Chen Shixian, Qiu Gangao and others walked forward and greeted the bailiff.
The bailiffs were familiar with Au Wing-yan, and Chen Shi-xian also made arrangements with them before going to court.
They naturally slowed down their pace and gave them some space.
"Zhang Chongbang, I framed you?"
Chen Shixian chuckled: "You didn't torture someone to death?"
"You are not responsible for the accidental killing of Mr. Yao, deceiving your superiors and subordinates, and falsely claiming credit?"
He reached out to help Zhang Chongbang straighten his crooked tie, his eyes suddenly turned cold, and he said in a didactic tone:
"Mr. Zhang, you said it before, the suspect's life is also a life. If you do something wrong, you have to pay the price."
"What are you so excited about now?"
"You think you did nothing wrong, so why don't you repent?"
Zhang Chongbang's face froze. These were the words he had said to Chen Shixian and the others back then.
The arrow shot that year now hits right between his eyebrows.
He moved his lips slightly and argued, "I'm different from you. We are trying to save people. We have no choice!"
"Mistakenly killing Mr. Yao, that was an accident!"
"Hahaha!"
Without waiting for him to finish, Chen Shixian burst into laughter without restraint, shaking all over with tears in his eyes.
"Zhang Chongbang, this is the funniest joke I have ever heard."
"Back then, weren't we trying to save people?"
"That wasn't your reaction at the time."
"For the sake of your hypocritical justice, you choose to help the thieves instead of your brothers."
"You said that wrong is wrong and right is right. People can do wrong things, but they cannot take the wrong path."
"At that time, you pointed at our noses and said that torture led to death, and we can't deny it in this life."
"Similarly, you can't deny the death of Yao Sir and the six police officers. You can't deny the death of Ji Zhengxiong due to his forced confession!"
"Now, all of this is returned to you, and you say that you had no choice and it was an accident. This is ridiculous."
"In short, from now on, your so-called justice is not worth mentioning!"
(End of this chapter)
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