Assistant Officer of CSD gets six months’ jail over bribes-for-introducing unauthorised articles
2023-9-28
An Assistant Officer II of the Correctional Services Department (CSD), charged by the ICAC, was today (September 28) sentenced to six months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for accepting bribes totalling over $10,000 for introducing various unauthorised articles into Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre (LCKRC) for a prisoner.
Kam Wing-kan, 35, Assistant Officer II of the CSD, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han remarked that the present case involved offences of serious nature, warranting a deterrent sentence. She took a starting point of nine months’ imprisonment and reduced the jail term to six months after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea.
The Acting Principal Magistrate also made a restitution order in respect of the bribes concerned.
Co-defendants Ng Tin-man, 35, prisoner of LCKRC; and his younger sister Ng Lok-ning, 32, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to section 4(1)(a) of the POBO. They were sentenced to jail terms of six months and three months respectively.
At the material time, Kam was an Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to LCKRC for performing guard duty while Ng Tin-man was remanded there. All CSD officers and prisoners are governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibit 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, Kam accepted three bribes totalling $10,100 from Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning for introducing unauthorised articles into LCKRC for Ng Tin-man.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. Enquires revealed that Kam and Ng Lok-ning had communicated and met with each other without proper authority on several occasions. After the meetings, Kam brought various items received from Ng Lok-ning into LCKRC for passing to Ng Tin-man.
ICAC enquiries also revealed that all those items, including two pairs of spectacles, cigarettes of a brand not specified by the CSD, lighters, notebooks and stationery, were unauthorised articles that were neither approved hand-in articles from visitors nor canteen items available for prisoners to purchase.
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.
An ICAC spokesperson noted that in collaboration with government departments, the ICAC reminds civil servants through education and publicity to maintain a high standard of integrity and abide by the law, so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service.
Kam Wing-kan, 35, Assistant Officer II of the CSD, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han remarked that the present case involved offences of serious nature, warranting a deterrent sentence. She took a starting point of nine months’ imprisonment and reduced the jail term to six months after taking into account the defendant’s guilty plea.
The Acting Principal Magistrate also made a restitution order in respect of the bribes concerned.
Co-defendants Ng Tin-man, 35, prisoner of LCKRC; and his younger sister Ng Lok-ning, 32, earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to section 4(1)(a) of the POBO. They were sentenced to jail terms of six months and three months respectively.
At the material time, Kam was an Assistant Officer II of the CSD posted to LCKRC for performing guard duty while Ng Tin-man was remanded there. All CSD officers and prisoners are governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibit 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, Kam accepted three bribes totalling $10,100 from Ng Tin-man and Ng Lok-ning for introducing unauthorised articles into LCKRC for Ng Tin-man.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. Enquires revealed that Kam and Ng Lok-ning had communicated and met with each other without proper authority on several occasions. After the meetings, Kam brought various items received from Ng Lok-ning into LCKRC for passing to Ng Tin-man.
ICAC enquiries also revealed that all those items, including two pairs of spectacles, cigarettes of a brand not specified by the CSD, lighters, notebooks and stationery, were unauthorised articles that were neither approved hand-in articles from visitors nor canteen items available for prisoners to purchase.
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.
An ICAC spokesperson noted that in collaboration with government departments, the ICAC reminds civil servants through education and publicity to maintain a high standard of integrity and abide by the law, so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service.