Police Sergeant gets 3 years for cheating $250,000 from woman
2006-12-20
A Police Sergeant, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) sentenced to three years' imprisonment for swindling $250,000 from a woman by falsely representing that the sum, previously involved in a police investigation, would be returned to the Office o f the Commissioner of Banking (OCB).
Ng Wai-yip, 42, was earlier found guilty of one count of fraud at the District Court.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Sham Siu-man said the public demanded a high degree of integrity and honesty from police officers.
The judge added that as a police officer, the defendant was entrusted to protect citizens' lives and properties, but his offence constituted a serious dereliction of duty.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent inquiries revealed the fraud offence.
The court heard that in 1993, a sum of $249,690 in the bank account under the victim's name was frozen by the police. It was then suspected that the sum was the proceeds of crime misappropriated by the victim's estranged husband.
The victim’s husband was subsequently prosecuted by the police, but the sum was not adduced as evidence by the prosecution. The balance of the account was accumulated to over $358,000 with interests by November 2003.
In mid-2003, the bank issued a letter to the victim, asking her to contact the Wong Tai Sin Police Station for a consent letter for reactivating her bank account.
The court heard that at that time the defendant was attached to District Crime Squad 2 of Wong Tai Sin District and was responsible for handling the victim's request.
The defendant told the victim that she could only get back $100,000 odd from her bank account, while the remaining balance of $250,000 had to be returned to OCB.
On November 12, 2003, the defendant accompanied the victim to the bank and produced a consent letter, stating that the Police had no further interest in the bank account.
Three days later, the defendant and the victim went to the bank, where the latter withdrew $358,654 from her bank account.
Back at Wong Tai Sin Police Station, the victim handed over $250,000 to the defendant, on the understanding that the sum had to be surrendered to OCB.
Since 1993, OCB had merged with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Investigation also confirmed that HKMA had never received the said $250,000 from the victim or any police officers.
The case was today represented by prosecuting counsel Robert Andrews, assisted by ICAC officer Stanley Chung.
Ng Wai-yip, 42, was earlier found guilty of one count of fraud at the District Court.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Sham Siu-man said the public demanded a high degree of integrity and honesty from police officers.
The judge added that as a police officer, the defendant was entrusted to protect citizens' lives and properties, but his offence constituted a serious dereliction of duty.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent inquiries revealed the fraud offence.
The court heard that in 1993, a sum of $249,690 in the bank account under the victim's name was frozen by the police. It was then suspected that the sum was the proceeds of crime misappropriated by the victim's estranged husband.
The victim’s husband was subsequently prosecuted by the police, but the sum was not adduced as evidence by the prosecution. The balance of the account was accumulated to over $358,000 with interests by November 2003.
In mid-2003, the bank issued a letter to the victim, asking her to contact the Wong Tai Sin Police Station for a consent letter for reactivating her bank account.
The court heard that at that time the defendant was attached to District Crime Squad 2 of Wong Tai Sin District and was responsible for handling the victim's request.
The defendant told the victim that she could only get back $100,000 odd from her bank account, while the remaining balance of $250,000 had to be returned to OCB.
On November 12, 2003, the defendant accompanied the victim to the bank and produced a consent letter, stating that the Police had no further interest in the bank account.
Three days later, the defendant and the victim went to the bank, where the latter withdrew $358,654 from her bank account.
Back at Wong Tai Sin Police Station, the victim handed over $250,000 to the defendant, on the understanding that the sum had to be surrendered to OCB.
Since 1993, OCB had merged with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Investigation also confirmed that HKMA had never received the said $250,000 from the victim or any police officers.
The case was today represented by prosecuting counsel Robert Andrews, assisted by ICAC officer Stanley Chung.