Man charged by ICAC sentenced for inciting others to cast blank votes at LegCo Election by leaving comment on social media
2026-8-3
A man charged by the ICAC was today (August 3) sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years, at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts after admitting that he left a comment on a social media post by a media outlet to incite others to cast blank votes at the 2025 Legislative Council General Election (LegCo Election) during the election period.
Lam Ramirez Kuk-wai, 38, security guard, today pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person to cast invalid vote by activity in public during election period, contrary to section 27A(1)(b) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung stated that a custodial sentence would be meted out for similar cases in general, but given the defendant’s status as a first-time offender with no criminal record, a suspended sentence was imposed.
Nominations for the 2025 LegCo Election opened from October 24 last year. According to the ECICO, the period between that date and the polling day (December 7, 2025) was the “election period” for the election. The defendant admitted that during the election period, he left a comment on a social media post by a media outlet which incited another person to cast an invalid vote at the election.
The court heard that the post was a news report covering a caveat issued by the Secretary for Security stating that it is an offence to incite another person not to vote or to cast invalid votes in the election. The defendant used his personal social media account to leave a comment to incite others to cast blank votes.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Francis Tsang.
Lam Ramirez Kuk-wai, 38, security guard, today pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person to cast invalid vote by activity in public during election period, contrary to section 27A(1)(b) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung stated that a custodial sentence would be meted out for similar cases in general, but given the defendant’s status as a first-time offender with no criminal record, a suspended sentence was imposed.
Nominations for the 2025 LegCo Election opened from October 24 last year. According to the ECICO, the period between that date and the polling day (December 7, 2025) was the “election period” for the election. The defendant admitted that during the election period, he left a comment on a social media post by a media outlet which incited another person to cast an invalid vote at the election.
The court heard that the post was a news report covering a caveat issued by the Secretary for Security stating that it is an offence to incite another person not to vote or to cast invalid votes in the election. The defendant used his personal social media account to leave a comment to incite others to cast blank votes.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Francis Tsang.