Four admit bribes-for-votes in IT Functional Constituency at 2016 LegCo Election
2021-5-26
A then executive committee member of a taxi association and his three relatives, charged by the ICAC, admitted at the District Court their roles in a bribes-for-votes scheme in relation to the Information Technology Functional Constituency (ITFC) of the 2016 Legislative Council (LegCo) General Election.
The four defendants are Lui Ah-fook, 47, then executive committee member of the Taxi Drivers & Operators Association (TDOA); his younger sister Lui Wai-fong, 41; his son Lui King-yin, 24; and Lui Wai-fong’s brother-in-law, Chan Ki-nam, 50.
Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin, yesterday (May 25) pleaded guilty before Judge Katherine Lo Kit-yee to one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct at an election by offering an advantage to others, contrary to Section 11(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Lui Ah-fook and Chan Ki-nam each further pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in corrupt conduct at an election by accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 11(1)(e) of the ECICO. Four other similar charges against Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and two other co-defendants and younger sisters of Lui Ah-fook, Lui Lai-fong, 44; and Lui Lai-mui, 46, were left on file at the District Court.
The summary of facts read out in court today (May 26) noted that the 2016 LegCo General Election was held on September 4, 2016. Two candidates competed in the ITFC—one of the 29 functional constituencies in the LegCo.
A person, who was registered as an elector in a Geographical Constituency or was eligible and had applied to be so registered, was eligible to register as an elector in the ITFC with the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) if the person possessed the membership of a professional body specified in the LegCo Ordinance, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., Hong Kong Section (IEEE).
Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin admitted that between April 14 or thereabout and September 4, 2016, they had conspired together and with a then corporate affairs director of TDOA and other persons unknown to offer to about 36 persons, namely the aforesaid six defendants and their relatives, schoolmates and associates, $1,000 each as an inducement for them to vote for Yeung Chuen-sing, a candidate competing in the ITFC at the 2016 LegCo General Election.
On about April 14, 2016, Lui Ah-fook, who was an executive committee member of TDOA, invited Lui Wai-fong, Lui Lai-fong and Lui Lai-mui via a mobile phone sibling chat group to join an “IT Club” for $1,000 each. He added that the trio were required to register as voters and vote as instructed in the ITFC of the 2016 LegCo General Election (the scheme).
As soon as Lui Wai-fong learned of the scheme, she extended invitation to her relatives, including Chan, via another mobile phone family chat group. Lui King-yin mentioned the scheme at two mobile phone chat groups with his schoolmates and associates.
After Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin gathered the personal particulars of 36 persons, Lui Ah-fook forwarded the consolidated information to the aforesaid corporate affairs director of TDOA on April 24, 2016.
IEEE records revealed that the 36 persons concerned were registered as full members of the IEEE between April 23 and 29, 2016. However, ICAC inquiries revealed that none of the 36 persons concerned worked in the IT industry and neither of them possessed any relevant qualification.
Between April 30 and May 2, 2016, the REO received the voter registration forms of 33 out of the 36 persons concerned, and included 31 of them in the 2016 Final Register of Electors of the ITFC based on their memberships with the IEEE.
Upon Lui Ah-fook’s notification, Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and Chan respectively collected $1,000 from Lui Ah-fook on May 21, 2016, the court heard.
Before the polling day, Lui Ah-fook and Lui Wai-fong received messages, sent by the then corporate affairs director of TDOA, via a mobile phone chat group called “IE Group” urging them to vote for Yeung. On the polling day, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin made the same appeal to participants in several mobile phone chat groups.
The court heard that 19 out of the 36 persons concerned had applied for ballot papers, including those for the ITFC, at their respective polling stations.
The judge granted Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and Chan Ki-nam cash bail until August 26 for mitigation.
The REO had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions David Chan, prosecuting counsel Newman Wong and Arthur Wong, and Public Prosecutor Dimitri Au-Yeung, assisted by ICAC officer Joseph Leung.
The four defendants are Lui Ah-fook, 47, then executive committee member of the Taxi Drivers & Operators Association (TDOA); his younger sister Lui Wai-fong, 41; his son Lui King-yin, 24; and Lui Wai-fong’s brother-in-law, Chan Ki-nam, 50.
Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin, yesterday (May 25) pleaded guilty before Judge Katherine Lo Kit-yee to one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct at an election by offering an advantage to others, contrary to Section 11(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Lui Ah-fook and Chan Ki-nam each further pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in corrupt conduct at an election by accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 11(1)(e) of the ECICO. Four other similar charges against Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and two other co-defendants and younger sisters of Lui Ah-fook, Lui Lai-fong, 44; and Lui Lai-mui, 46, were left on file at the District Court.
The summary of facts read out in court today (May 26) noted that the 2016 LegCo General Election was held on September 4, 2016. Two candidates competed in the ITFC—one of the 29 functional constituencies in the LegCo.
A person, who was registered as an elector in a Geographical Constituency or was eligible and had applied to be so registered, was eligible to register as an elector in the ITFC with the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) if the person possessed the membership of a professional body specified in the LegCo Ordinance, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., Hong Kong Section (IEEE).
Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin admitted that between April 14 or thereabout and September 4, 2016, they had conspired together and with a then corporate affairs director of TDOA and other persons unknown to offer to about 36 persons, namely the aforesaid six defendants and their relatives, schoolmates and associates, $1,000 each as an inducement for them to vote for Yeung Chuen-sing, a candidate competing in the ITFC at the 2016 LegCo General Election.
On about April 14, 2016, Lui Ah-fook, who was an executive committee member of TDOA, invited Lui Wai-fong, Lui Lai-fong and Lui Lai-mui via a mobile phone sibling chat group to join an “IT Club” for $1,000 each. He added that the trio were required to register as voters and vote as instructed in the ITFC of the 2016 LegCo General Election (the scheme).
As soon as Lui Wai-fong learned of the scheme, she extended invitation to her relatives, including Chan, via another mobile phone family chat group. Lui King-yin mentioned the scheme at two mobile phone chat groups with his schoolmates and associates.
After Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin gathered the personal particulars of 36 persons, Lui Ah-fook forwarded the consolidated information to the aforesaid corporate affairs director of TDOA on April 24, 2016.
IEEE records revealed that the 36 persons concerned were registered as full members of the IEEE between April 23 and 29, 2016. However, ICAC inquiries revealed that none of the 36 persons concerned worked in the IT industry and neither of them possessed any relevant qualification.
Between April 30 and May 2, 2016, the REO received the voter registration forms of 33 out of the 36 persons concerned, and included 31 of them in the 2016 Final Register of Electors of the ITFC based on their memberships with the IEEE.
Upon Lui Ah-fook’s notification, Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and Chan respectively collected $1,000 from Lui Ah-fook on May 21, 2016, the court heard.
Before the polling day, Lui Ah-fook and Lui Wai-fong received messages, sent by the then corporate affairs director of TDOA, via a mobile phone chat group called “IE Group” urging them to vote for Yeung. On the polling day, Lui Wai-fong and Lui King-yin made the same appeal to participants in several mobile phone chat groups.
The court heard that 19 out of the 36 persons concerned had applied for ballot papers, including those for the ITFC, at their respective polling stations.
The judge granted Lui Ah-fook, Lui Wai-fong, Lui King-yin and Chan Ki-nam cash bail until August 26 for mitigation.
The REO had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions David Chan, prosecuting counsel Newman Wong and Arthur Wong, and Public Prosecutor Dimitri Au-Yeung, assisted by ICAC officer Joseph Leung.