Two CSD officers and three others charged with conspiracy to commit MIPO over unauthorised mobile phone possession
2021-1-5
Five persons, including two Assistant Officers of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) and an inmate, have been charged by the ICAC today (January 5) with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office (MIPO) for conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone by the inmate and introducing unauthorised cigarettes into a prison for him.
The defendants are Yeung King-lun, 43, Assistant Officer I of the CSD; Lee Ho-wai, 26, Assistant Officer II of the CSD; Lau Yin-chun, 28, inmate; and Cheung Yui-ming, 36, and Lam Hon-ki, 23, both unemployed.
Yeung and Lau jointly face one count of conspiracy to commit MIPO, contrary to Common Law and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lee, Lau, Cheung and Lam jointly face another similar charge.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (January 7) for mention.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
At the material time, Yeung and Lee were respectively Assistant Officer I and Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to Tong Fuk Correctional Institution (TFCI). Lau was an inmate of TFCI while Cheung and Lam were former inmates incarcerated in TFCI but discharged in May and September 2020 respectively.
Yeung was the officer-in-charge of the Construction and Maintenance Unit (the Unit) of TFCI while Lee was Yeung’s assistant when he was assigned to work in the Unit. The two officers were responsible for supervising the discipline and activities of inmates working in the Unit, including Lau, Cheung and Lam.
One of the charges alleges that between July 16 and October 23, 2020, Yeung and Lau conspired together for Yeung to wilfully and intentionally misconduct himself in the course of or in relation to his public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, by conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone in TFCI by Lau as an inmate, and rendering assistance to Lau in improving the signal reception of a SIM card used in the mobile phone at TFCI.
The other charge alleges that during the aforesaid period, Lee, Lau, Cheung and Lam conspired together for Lee to wilfully and intentionally misconduct himself in the course of or in relation to his public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, by conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone in TFCI by Lau as an inmate, and introducing unauthorised cigarettes into TFCI for Lau.
The CSD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lau will be brought to the court on Thursday while the remaining four defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on the same day.
The defendants are Yeung King-lun, 43, Assistant Officer I of the CSD; Lee Ho-wai, 26, Assistant Officer II of the CSD; Lau Yin-chun, 28, inmate; and Cheung Yui-ming, 36, and Lam Hon-ki, 23, both unemployed.
Yeung and Lau jointly face one count of conspiracy to commit MIPO, contrary to Common Law and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lee, Lau, Cheung and Lam jointly face another similar charge.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (January 7) for mention.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
At the material time, Yeung and Lee were respectively Assistant Officer I and Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to Tong Fuk Correctional Institution (TFCI). Lau was an inmate of TFCI while Cheung and Lam were former inmates incarcerated in TFCI but discharged in May and September 2020 respectively.
Yeung was the officer-in-charge of the Construction and Maintenance Unit (the Unit) of TFCI while Lee was Yeung’s assistant when he was assigned to work in the Unit. The two officers were responsible for supervising the discipline and activities of inmates working in the Unit, including Lau, Cheung and Lam.
One of the charges alleges that between July 16 and October 23, 2020, Yeung and Lau conspired together for Yeung to wilfully and intentionally misconduct himself in the course of or in relation to his public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, by conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone in TFCI by Lau as an inmate, and rendering assistance to Lau in improving the signal reception of a SIM card used in the mobile phone at TFCI.
The other charge alleges that during the aforesaid period, Lee, Lau, Cheung and Lam conspired together for Lee to wilfully and intentionally misconduct himself in the course of or in relation to his public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, by conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone in TFCI by Lau as an inmate, and introducing unauthorised cigarettes into TFCI for Lau.
The CSD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lau will be brought to the court on Thursday while the remaining four defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on the same day.