Ex-Police Sergeant charged by ICAC sentenced for $760,000 credit union loans fraud
2023-8-1
A then Police Sergeant, charged by the ICAC, was today (August 1) sentenced at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for deceiving the Hong Kong Police Credit Union (HKPCU) into granting him four loans totalling over $760,000 by making false representations about his loans from and monthly loan repayments to banks or financial institutions. The offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the ICAC.
Law Chi-man, 50, then Police Sergeant, was ordered by Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han to perform 240 hours of community service. The defendant earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a Police Sergeant and a member of the HKPCU, which provided saving and financial services to its members. Between August 2017 and October 2020, the defendant made four loan applications to the HKPCU. He was eventually granted four loans totalling over $760,000.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant falsely represented to the HKPCU in the first three applications that he did not have any loan from banks or financial institutions, while he in fact owed outstanding debts of over $570,000 to over $700,000 to two banks and a financial institution.
ICAC enquiries also revealed that when the defendant made the fourth loan application to HKPCU, he claimed that he had to make a monthly repayment of $4,800 to other banks or financial institutions despite the fact that the monthly repayment was over $36,000 in total.
Had the HKPCU known that the information contained in the four loan application forms of the defendant was false or incomplete, it would not have processed the applications and granted him loans.
The Police and the HKPCU had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Yau.
The ICAC has been working closely with government departments, through education and publicity, to remind civil servants to uphold honesty and integrity, abide by the law and regulations at all times, and maintain the good reputation of the civil service.
Law Chi-man, 50, then Police Sergeant, was ordered by Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han to perform 240 hours of community service. The defendant earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a Police Sergeant and a member of the HKPCU, which provided saving and financial services to its members. Between August 2017 and October 2020, the defendant made four loan applications to the HKPCU. He was eventually granted four loans totalling over $760,000.
ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant falsely represented to the HKPCU in the first three applications that he did not have any loan from banks or financial institutions, while he in fact owed outstanding debts of over $570,000 to over $700,000 to two banks and a financial institution.
ICAC enquiries also revealed that when the defendant made the fourth loan application to HKPCU, he claimed that he had to make a monthly repayment of $4,800 to other banks or financial institutions despite the fact that the monthly repayment was over $36,000 in total.
Had the HKPCU known that the information contained in the four loan application forms of the defendant was false or incomplete, it would not have processed the applications and granted him loans.
The Police and the HKPCU had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Yau.
The ICAC has been working closely with government departments, through education and publicity, to remind civil servants to uphold honesty and integrity, abide by the law and regulations at all times, and maintain the good reputation of the civil service.