Prisoner and sister charged by ICAC jailed for bribing CSD’s Assistant Officer over introduction of unauthorised articles
2023-8-30
A prisoner and his younger sister, charged by the ICAC, were today (August 30) respectively sentenced to six months and three months in jail at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for offering bribes totalling over $10,000 to an Assistant Officer II of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) for introducing various unauthorised articles into Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre (LCKRC) for the prisoner.
Ng Tin-man, 35, prisoner of LCKRC; was sentenced to a jail term of six months; while his younger sister Ng Lok-ning, 31, was jailed for three months. The duo earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han said Ng Tin-man was the instigator of the bribery scam. The court had to mete out deterrent sentences as Ng Tin-man and his sister Ng Lok-ning committed offences on a number of occasions in about two months. The magistrate took nine months and four-and-a-half months in jail as their respective starting points. Having considered their guilty pleas, their jail terms were each reduced by one-third.
At the material time, Ng Tin-man was remanded at LCKRC. He and all CSD officers were governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibited CSD Officers from conveying any unauthorised articles to prisoners and communicating with prisoners or their relatives without proper authority.
The court heard that between May and August 2022, Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning offered three bribes totalling $10,100 to an Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to LCKRC for introducing unauthorised articles into LCKRC for Ng Tin-man.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. ICAC investigation revealed that Ng Lok-ning and the Assistant Officer II had communicated and met with each other without proper authority on several occasions. Ng Lok-ning had also passed to the Assistant Officer II various items, including two pairs of spectacles, cigarettes of a brand not specified by the CSD, lighters, notebooks and stationery.
Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning admitted having offered bribes of over $10,000 as a reward for the Assistant Officer II to bring those articles into LCKRC for passing to Ng Tin-man. Investigation revealed that all those items were unauthorised articles that were neither approved hand-in articles from visitors nor canteen items available for prisoners to purchase.
Co-defendant Kam Wing-kan, 35, Assistant Officer II of the CSD, was charged with three counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the POBO. His case was adjourned to September 13 for mention.
The CSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Edward Wong.
Ng Tin-man, 35, prisoner of LCKRC; was sentenced to a jail term of six months; while his younger sister Ng Lok-ning, 31, was jailed for three months. The duo earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han said Ng Tin-man was the instigator of the bribery scam. The court had to mete out deterrent sentences as Ng Tin-man and his sister Ng Lok-ning committed offences on a number of occasions in about two months. The magistrate took nine months and four-and-a-half months in jail as their respective starting points. Having considered their guilty pleas, their jail terms were each reduced by one-third.
At the material time, Ng Tin-man was remanded at LCKRC. He and all CSD officers were governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibited CSD Officers from conveying any unauthorised articles to prisoners and communicating with prisoners or their relatives without proper authority.
The court heard that between May and August 2022, Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning offered three bribes totalling $10,100 to an Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to LCKRC for introducing unauthorised articles into LCKRC for Ng Tin-man.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. ICAC investigation revealed that Ng Lok-ning and the Assistant Officer II had communicated and met with each other without proper authority on several occasions. Ng Lok-ning had also passed to the Assistant Officer II various items, including two pairs of spectacles, cigarettes of a brand not specified by the CSD, lighters, notebooks and stationery.
Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning admitted having offered bribes of over $10,000 as a reward for the Assistant Officer II to bring those articles into LCKRC for passing to Ng Tin-man. Investigation revealed that all those items were unauthorised articles that were neither approved hand-in articles from visitors nor canteen items available for prisoners to purchase.
Co-defendant Kam Wing-kan, 35, Assistant Officer II of the CSD, was charged with three counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the POBO. His case was adjourned to September 13 for mention.
The CSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Edward Wong.