An associate professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was acquitted of indecent assault charges after the court determined the pair shared mutual attraction and the man may have mistakenly believed the complainant had consented to the contact.
Magistrate Raymond Wong Kwok-fai delivered the acquittal at Sha Tin Court on Monday, concluding hearings that commenced in July.
Peng, 38, had pleaded not guilty to two counts related to alleged incidents on May 21, 2025, when he and the complainant—a fellow scholar from mainland China—visited CUHK’s art museum and dined in Ma On Shan.
Earlier testimony indicated the two met in April following a conference and hiked on CUHK’s campus, though the complainant stated Peng never disclosed he was married or a father.
Following the hike, Peng emailed the woman, describing the outing as ‘unforgettable adventure on campus.’ She responded she was ‘very happy’ and looked forward to meeting again in summer. Peng replied: ‘The views at CUHK are beautiful, but nothing compares to the sight of you beside me.’
They subsequently moved conversations to WeChat. On May 20, the woman invited Peng to campus, but he claimed he was busy and would see her the next day. She replied: ‘Nothing, talk to you when we meet.’ When Peng asked ‘why so mysterious?’, she sent a ‘doll’ emoji and wrote, ‘keep smiling’.
During the museum visit, the court heard, the conversation included sexual innuendo—remarks about her outfit and the colour of her toenails—and Peng patted her on the back.
