Legal aid applicant charged with bribery over service
2021-7-20
The ICAC today (July 20) charged an applicant for legal aid service with offering $1,000 and a water dispenser to officers of the Legal Aid Department (LAD) for their assistance in processing his application.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the LAD. After seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice, the defendant was charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant or public servants, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Lin Fai-ying, 81, retired, has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (July 22) for plea.
The defendant divorced his wife in 2004 and the relevant divorce proceedings, including an application for ancillary relief commenced. In March 2020, the defendant submitted an application for legal aid for pursuing the outstanding ancillary relief from his ex-wife, but the application was rejected by the LAD in April 2020.
The charges allege that between July 16 and 20, 2020, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered $1,000 to an Assistant Clerical Officer of the LAD and undertook or promised to offer a water dispenser to public servants of the LAD as an inducement to or reward for assisting the defendant in processing his application for legal aid.
After the matter was reported to the LAD, the department referred it to the ICAC and rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the LAD. After seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice, the defendant was charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant or public servants, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Lin Fai-ying, 81, retired, has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (July 22) for plea.
The defendant divorced his wife in 2004 and the relevant divorce proceedings, including an application for ancillary relief commenced. In March 2020, the defendant submitted an application for legal aid for pursuing the outstanding ancillary relief from his ex-wife, but the application was rejected by the LAD in April 2020.
The charges allege that between July 16 and 20, 2020, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered $1,000 to an Assistant Clerical Officer of the LAD and undertook or promised to offer a water dispenser to public servants of the LAD as an inducement to or reward for assisting the defendant in processing his application for legal aid.
After the matter was reported to the LAD, the department referred it to the ICAC and rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.