Ex-Police Sergeant charged with accepting $216,000 unauthorised loans
2021-8-11
A former Police Sergeant was charged by the ICAC today (August 11) with accepting unauthorised loans totalling $216,000 from eight Police Constables (PCs) and soliciting a loan of $200,000 from one of them.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the Police. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised instigating a prosecution against the former Police Sergeant.
Wong Sai-hung, 43, faces 12 charges – one of prescribed officer soliciting an advantage and 11 of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, all contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail. He will appear in the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (August 13) for plea.
The defendant joined the Police in 1995 and left the force in late February this year upon resignation. The offences took place between October 2019 and September 2020 when the defendant was a Police Sergeant first posted to the Special Duties Squad of Border District, and subsequently transferred to a Patrol Sub-Unit of the Lok Ma Chau Division.
One of the charges alleges that on or about November 4, 2019, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive (CE), solicited a loan of $200,000 from a PC who also worked at the Lok Ma Chau Police Station.
Four other charges allege that between October 21 and November 20, 2019, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the CE, accepted four loans, each ranging from $2,500 to $133,500, totalling $161,000 from the PC.
One of the loans consisting of $5,000 was allegedly accepted before the defendant made the $200,000 solicitation while the remaining three loans totalling $156,000 was received after the solicitation.
Seven remaining charges allege that between August 13 and September 16, 2020, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the CE, accepted seven other loans, each ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, totalling $55,000 from seven other PCs who were the defendant’s subordinates in the same Patrol Sub-Unit.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant accepted loans totalling $216,000 from the eight PCs but only repaid $49,500 to one of them.
The Police has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the Police. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised instigating a prosecution against the former Police Sergeant.
Wong Sai-hung, 43, faces 12 charges – one of prescribed officer soliciting an advantage and 11 of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, all contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail. He will appear in the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (August 13) for plea.
The defendant joined the Police in 1995 and left the force in late February this year upon resignation. The offences took place between October 2019 and September 2020 when the defendant was a Police Sergeant first posted to the Special Duties Squad of Border District, and subsequently transferred to a Patrol Sub-Unit of the Lok Ma Chau Division.
One of the charges alleges that on or about November 4, 2019, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive (CE), solicited a loan of $200,000 from a PC who also worked at the Lok Ma Chau Police Station.
Four other charges allege that between October 21 and November 20, 2019, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the CE, accepted four loans, each ranging from $2,500 to $133,500, totalling $161,000 from the PC.
One of the loans consisting of $5,000 was allegedly accepted before the defendant made the $200,000 solicitation while the remaining three loans totalling $156,000 was received after the solicitation.
Seven remaining charges allege that between August 13 and September 16, 2020, the defendant, without the general or special permission of the CE, accepted seven other loans, each ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, totalling $55,000 from seven other PCs who were the defendant’s subordinates in the same Patrol Sub-Unit.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant accepted loans totalling $216,000 from the eight PCs but only repaid $49,500 to one of them.
The Police has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.