Woman admits misleading ICAC to avoid bankruptcy order
2000-6-14
A woman, who claimed to be the wife of a former parliament chief of then Zaire, admitted at District Court today (Wednesday) that she had misled the ICAC by falsely claiming that she had been wrongly adjudged as the bankrupt in a judicial proceeding and had made false affirmations to avoid a bankruptcy order.
Wan Soi-fan, also known as Zhang Sabine Soi-fan, Zhang Sabina Soi-fan and Wan Soi-fan, Sabina, aged 37, today pleaded guilty to three charges, including making a false statement to the ICAC and perjury.
Judge Fung Wah adjourned the case to September 6, 2000 for sentence.
Wan pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to mislead an ICAC officer by falsely claiming that she was not Wan Soi-fan, Sabina, who was adjudged bankrupt by the High Court.
She also admitted two charges of perjury. One accused Wan, being a person lawfully sworn as a witness in a Bankruptcy Proceeding in the Court of First Instance in 1989, of wilfully making a series of false affirmations that she was not Wan Soi-fan, Sabin a, who was adjudged bankrupt in the judicial proceedings concerned.
The offences took place between November 1998 and April 1999.
Wan was further charged with two counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy to allow another person to use a Hong Kong Identity Card which belonged to Wan. The court today ordered these three charges be left on file.
The court heard that Wan was adjudicated bankrupt in 1991, but failed to comply with the bankruptcy order to repay her debts. Civil proceedings to chase up repayment of Wan ’ s debts took place in August 1998.
Between November 1998 and May 1999, Wan, using the name of Zhang Sabina Soi-fan, made a series of false affirmations, declaring that she was not the person subject to the bankruptcy order.
On March 31, 1999, however, the Court of First Instance ruled that Wan and Zhang were the same person.
On April 16, 1999, Wan, together with another woman, filed a corruption report to the ICAC against an employee of the Official Receiver Office who allegedly handled the bankruptcy proceedings in 1991. She alleged that the staff had solicited $500,000.
During the interview by ICAC officers, Wan further claimed that the woman accompanying her was the bankrupt person. The woman also produced a Hong Kong Identity Card in the defendant ’ s name.
Wan was arrested by the ICAC earlier this year. When interviewed under caution, Wan admitted that she herself was Wan Soi-fan. She also admitted that she had made false affirmations to avoid the bankruptcy order.
The defendant was granted bail of $500,000 in cash and $500,000 surety on own recognizance. The defendant was also ordered to surrender her travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong and reside in the reported address.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Kevin Zervos, assisted by ICAC officer Stella Leung.
Wan Soi-fan, also known as Zhang Sabine Soi-fan, Zhang Sabina Soi-fan and Wan Soi-fan, Sabina, aged 37, today pleaded guilty to three charges, including making a false statement to the ICAC and perjury.
Judge Fung Wah adjourned the case to September 6, 2000 for sentence.
Wan pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to mislead an ICAC officer by falsely claiming that she was not Wan Soi-fan, Sabina, who was adjudged bankrupt by the High Court.
She also admitted two charges of perjury. One accused Wan, being a person lawfully sworn as a witness in a Bankruptcy Proceeding in the Court of First Instance in 1989, of wilfully making a series of false affirmations that she was not Wan Soi-fan, Sabin a, who was adjudged bankrupt in the judicial proceedings concerned.
The offences took place between November 1998 and April 1999.
Wan was further charged with two counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy to allow another person to use a Hong Kong Identity Card which belonged to Wan. The court today ordered these three charges be left on file.
The court heard that Wan was adjudicated bankrupt in 1991, but failed to comply with the bankruptcy order to repay her debts. Civil proceedings to chase up repayment of Wan ’ s debts took place in August 1998.
Between November 1998 and May 1999, Wan, using the name of Zhang Sabina Soi-fan, made a series of false affirmations, declaring that she was not the person subject to the bankruptcy order.
On March 31, 1999, however, the Court of First Instance ruled that Wan and Zhang were the same person.
On April 16, 1999, Wan, together with another woman, filed a corruption report to the ICAC against an employee of the Official Receiver Office who allegedly handled the bankruptcy proceedings in 1991. She alleged that the staff had solicited $500,000.
During the interview by ICAC officers, Wan further claimed that the woman accompanying her was the bankrupt person. The woman also produced a Hong Kong Identity Card in the defendant ’ s name.
Wan was arrested by the ICAC earlier this year. When interviewed under caution, Wan admitted that she herself was Wan Soi-fan. She also admitted that she had made false affirmations to avoid the bankruptcy order.
The defendant was granted bail of $500,000 in cash and $500,000 surety on own recognizance. The defendant was also ordered to surrender her travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong and reside in the reported address.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Kevin Zervos, assisted by ICAC officer Stella Leung.