Ex-CSD officer charged by ICAC penalised for supplying snacks to prisoners without authorisation
2022-12-15
A then Assistant Officer I of the Correctional Services Department (CSD), charged by the ICAC, was today (December 15) sentenced at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts after admitting that he had supplied snacks to eight prisoners without authorisation. The offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the Commission.
In sentencing, Deputy Magistrate Mr Tobias Cheng Yun-chung said the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature. Having considered that the defendant had shown remorse and had no opportunity to commit the offence again as he had already left the CSD, he was fined $3,000.
Lee Man-kit, 56, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying unauthorised articles to prisoners, contrary to Section 19 of the Prisons Ordinance.
At the material time, the defendant was posted to Tai Lam Correctional Institution (TLCI) of the CSD. On June 1, 2022, the defendant was assigned as the officer-in-charge of a Dining Hall to supervise inmates during meal times. All CSD officers are required to fully abide by the Prisons Ordinance. According to the ordinance, the defendant was prohibited from supplying any unauthorised articles, including food, to prisoners.
The court heard that on three different occasions on the above date, the defendant had placed five packs of chocolate sandwich cookies and six sausages on his desk or in a drawer of his desk without authorisation so as to allow eight prisoners of the TLCI to take them and consume them.
The two types of snacks were not canteen items available for prisoners to purchase or consume. In other words, the eight prisoners concerned would not have access to them during their incarceration were they not provided by the defendant.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Allan Fong.
An ICAC spokesperson stressed that law enforcement officers should maintain a high standard of probity and abide by the law at all times in the course of discharging their duties so as to safeguard the integrity and effective operation of the criminal justice system.
In sentencing, Deputy Magistrate Mr Tobias Cheng Yun-chung said the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature. Having considered that the defendant had shown remorse and had no opportunity to commit the offence again as he had already left the CSD, he was fined $3,000.
Lee Man-kit, 56, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying unauthorised articles to prisoners, contrary to Section 19 of the Prisons Ordinance.
At the material time, the defendant was posted to Tai Lam Correctional Institution (TLCI) of the CSD. On June 1, 2022, the defendant was assigned as the officer-in-charge of a Dining Hall to supervise inmates during meal times. All CSD officers are required to fully abide by the Prisons Ordinance. According to the ordinance, the defendant was prohibited from supplying any unauthorised articles, including food, to prisoners.
The court heard that on three different occasions on the above date, the defendant had placed five packs of chocolate sandwich cookies and six sausages on his desk or in a drawer of his desk without authorisation so as to allow eight prisoners of the TLCI to take them and consume them.
The two types of snacks were not canteen items available for prisoners to purchase or consume. In other words, the eight prisoners concerned would not have access to them during their incarceration were they not provided by the defendant.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Allan Fong.
An ICAC spokesperson stressed that law enforcement officers should maintain a high standard of probity and abide by the law at all times in the course of discharging their duties so as to safeguard the integrity and effective operation of the criminal justice system.