The Prosecutor (2025) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Fok resigned after leading an operation that captured most members of an armed robbery gang, but the leader evaded charges due to lack of evidence linking him to the crimes. This miscarriage of justice deeply shook Fok's faith in the police system, prompting him to leave and pursue law as a prosecutor to create change from within the legal system.

Foreshadowing: The opening scene establishes Fok's disillusionment with the justice system when the guilty walk free.

• Fok Chi-ho
• police resignation
• justice system
• disillusionment

Ma was misled by his defense lawyer Li and legal executive Au, who convinced him his chances of acquittal were slim and that a guilty plea would result in a lenient sentence. They also manipulated his concern for his grandfather Uncle Ma, pressuring him to accept the deal to quickly resolve the case and return to his family.

Foreshadowing: Li and Au's misleading advice early in the case sets up their role as complicit actors in the conspiracy.

• guilty plea
• Ma
• Li
• Au
• framed
• wrongful conviction

The plea bargain deliberately excluded Chan from any charges. Li and Au structured the deal so that Ma would take full responsibility for the drug shipment while Chan walked free. This was part of the conspiracy, Chan was the one who arranged for Ma's address to be used for the package, but he was protected by the corrupt legal team working to frame innocent people.

Foreshadowing: Fok immediately questions why Chan is completely absolved in the plea deal.

• Chan
• plea bargain
• exonerated
• drug ring
• conspiracy

Lau and Chan were half-brothers, a fact revealed when Bao infiltrates Lau's nightclub and overhears their conversation. Lau, a restaurant owner, recruited vulnerable people like Ma to lend their addresses for drug shipments, while Chan posed as a helpful friend recommending legal advisors, Li and Au, who would trap these victims into guilty pleas.

Foreshadowing: The investigation into Li leads Fok and Bao to discover Lau's restaurant as the source of referrals.

• Lau
• Chan
• half-brothers
• conspiracy
• drug ring

Fok tracked down Chan, who had crucial knowledge of the operation, and convinced him to testify against Au. With Yeung's help buying time during the retrial, Fok protected Chan as they traveled to court despite being attacked by assassins. Chan's testimony finally exposed the conspiracy, leading to Ma's exoneration.

Foreshadowing: Fok's determination to find Chan begins after Uncle Ma's murder provides the final push.

• Fok
• retrial
• Chan testimony
• exoneration
• evidence

Uncle Ma was murdered at a cha chaan teng to silence him. He possessed knowledge about the conspiracy after being approached by Fok, and the criminals needed to eliminate him before he could provide information that would expose the operation and help appeal Ma's conviction.

Foreshadowing: An assassination attempt on Uncle Ma earlier signals the danger he represents to the conspirators.

• Uncle Ma
• murder
• silenced
• conspiracy
• appeal

Inspector Lee, Fok's former protégé who helped track down Chan, was severely injured during the attack by Sang's assassins while escorting Chan to the courthouse. The attack was orchestrated to prevent Chan from delivering testimony, but Lee's condition allowed Fok and Chan to continue to the courthouse.

Foreshadowing: The attackers intercept Fok and Chan en route, showing how far the conspiracy will go to stop the truth.

• Inspector Lee
• injured
• MTR attack
• Sang
• testimony

Chief prosecutor Yeung accepted the plea bargain because it appeared to secure a quick conviction in a drug trafficking case. Yeung was unaware of the underlying corruption at first and believed the deal was the most efficient path to conviction, not realizing it was part of a larger scheme to frame innocent people.

Foreshadowing: Yeung's initial resistance to Fok's doubts establishes his focus on conviction rates.

• Yeung
• chief prosecutor
• plea bargain
• conviction
• corruption

Au was exposed as part of the criminal network working with Lau and Chan. After the conspiracy unraveled, Au faced legal consequences for his role in manipulating the legal process and framing innocent people. Sang and Tung, Au's underworld associates who carried out assassinations, were also brought to justice.

Foreshadowing: Au's attempts to convince Lau to turn himself in reveal his desperation as the net closes in.

• Au
• Sang
• Tung
• arrested
• convicted
• criminal network

Fok's investigation jeopardized his career because he challenged the plea bargain, defended Ma in court against his supervisor Yeung's wishes, and pursued evidence that exposed corruption within the legal system. His vocal defense of Ma even turned the jury against Ma in the first trial, but Fok persisted despite the personal and professional risks.

Foreshadowing: Fok's resignation from police already showed his willingness to risk his career for justice.

• Fok
• career
• investigation
• jeopardy
• prosecutor