Police Constable jailed for taking bribes from suspect
2000-2-17
A Detective Police Constable, charged by the ICAC, was jailed for 12 months at North Kowloon Court today (Thursday) for accepting bribes from a suspect under police investigation.
Lee Sen-hei, 28, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department of Mongkok District, was earlier found guilty of two bribery offences.
One of the charges accused Lee of soliciting $8,000 from Mong Kok-wai on September 20, 1999 as an inducement to or reward for preventing Mong from being prosecuted with an assault offence by causing the victim not to give evidence in court.
He was also convicted on one count of accepting $1,500 from Mong for the same reason.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Anthony Kwok said what the defendant did was close to perverting the course of public justice.
The magistrate also noted that corruption was a serious offence which should not be tolerated, adding that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary to bring about a deterrent effect.
The prosecution was the result of an ICAC investigation into a complaint which accused a police officer of having solicited bribes from a suspect to ensure that the police would not pursue the investigation of an alleged assault case.
The court heard that Mong Kok-wai, a manger of a karaoke nightclub, was a suspect in an assault case and the defendant was the case officer.
On September 14, 1999, the defendant met Mong at the Mongkok police station when the latter reported for bail.
The defendant told Mong if he could spare any money to employ a lawyer, it would be better for Mong to lend it to him. The defendant then asked Mong how long it would take him to collect $8,000.
During a meeting monitored by the ICAC on September 20, 1999, the defendant told Mong that he was in financial difficulties and solicited $8,000 from Mong for writing off the assault case.
The defendant told Mong that he, being the officer-in-charge of the assault case, could cause the victim not to give evidence in court.
Mong offered to give the defendant $1,500 as he did not have enough cash in hand. The defendant agreed.
The defendant was later arrested by ICAC officers, who recovered the money from his pocket.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel William Tam, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang Wai-sum.
Lee Sen-hei, 28, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department of Mongkok District, was earlier found guilty of two bribery offences.
One of the charges accused Lee of soliciting $8,000 from Mong Kok-wai on September 20, 1999 as an inducement to or reward for preventing Mong from being prosecuted with an assault offence by causing the victim not to give evidence in court.
He was also convicted on one count of accepting $1,500 from Mong for the same reason.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Anthony Kwok said what the defendant did was close to perverting the course of public justice.
The magistrate also noted that corruption was a serious offence which should not be tolerated, adding that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary to bring about a deterrent effect.
The prosecution was the result of an ICAC investigation into a complaint which accused a police officer of having solicited bribes from a suspect to ensure that the police would not pursue the investigation of an alleged assault case.
The court heard that Mong Kok-wai, a manger of a karaoke nightclub, was a suspect in an assault case and the defendant was the case officer.
On September 14, 1999, the defendant met Mong at the Mongkok police station when the latter reported for bail.
The defendant told Mong if he could spare any money to employ a lawyer, it would be better for Mong to lend it to him. The defendant then asked Mong how long it would take him to collect $8,000.
During a meeting monitored by the ICAC on September 20, 1999, the defendant told Mong that he was in financial difficulties and solicited $8,000 from Mong for writing off the assault case.
The defendant told Mong that he, being the officer-in-charge of the assault case, could cause the victim not to give evidence in court.
Mong offered to give the defendant $1,500 as he did not have enough cash in hand. The defendant agreed.
The defendant was later arrested by ICAC officers, who recovered the money from his pocket.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel William Tam, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang Wai-sum.