HONG KONG -- A Hong Kong court ruled Monday that the prosecutor has sufficient evidence to prosecute Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for criminal intimidation and the closing arguments are scheduled on Aug 28.

Lai, accused of swearing at a reporter and threatening to cause physical harm to the reporter at the Victoria Park in June 2017, has stood trial three times for the case at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts this month.

According to Hong Kong law, people convicted of criminal intimidation could face up to five years of imprisonment.

Apart from the offense, Lai has been arrested three times so far this year for his role in illegal assemblies last year and for a suspected violation of the national security law in Hong Kong.