Five convicted of 'scapegoat' plot in TV smuggling case
2000-7-28
Five alleged members of a criminal syndicate were convicted at District Court today (Friday) of conspiring to arrange for a "scapegoat" to face prosecution for smuggling 347 projection TV sets worth $1.1 million into the Mainland.
Lau Kam-wai, 47, Hui Yau-fun, 43, both company partners; Wong Siu-on, 35, company proprietor; Ching Tsun, 27, shipping manager; and Ma Fai-ting, 44, company proprietor, were found guilty of a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
Lau was also found guilty of one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargo.
Judge Mary Yuen adjourned sentencing Lau, Hui, Wong and Ma until next Tuesday (August 1), while Ching will be sentenced on September 18 this year.
The court was told that between January 20 and March 16 this year, the five defendants had conspired together and with Li Kwun-lung, Wong Wah-shing and Wong Tsz-chun to pervert the course of public justice by agreeing to obstruct and frustrate an investig ation by the Customs and Excise Department (C&E) into the smuggling of 347 projection TV sets in five containers from Hong Kong into the Mainland.
They had arranged for a person uninvolved in the smuggling activities to present himself to C&E officers and to falsely admit his responsibility.
On January 20 this year, Lau had attempted to export the unmanifested TV sets on board a Chinese trading vessel off Tap Shek Kok in the Hong Kong waters.
Lau, Hui and Wong were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. Ching and Ma were respectively released on cash bail of $200,000 and $150,000, and were ordered to report to a Police station once a week. Ching was also ordered to surrender his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
The prosecution was today represented by Joseph Pethes on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Clement Cheng.
Lau Kam-wai, 47, Hui Yau-fun, 43, both company partners; Wong Siu-on, 35, company proprietor; Ching Tsun, 27, shipping manager; and Ma Fai-ting, 44, company proprietor, were found guilty of a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
Lau was also found guilty of one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargo.
Judge Mary Yuen adjourned sentencing Lau, Hui, Wong and Ma until next Tuesday (August 1), while Ching will be sentenced on September 18 this year.
The court was told that between January 20 and March 16 this year, the five defendants had conspired together and with Li Kwun-lung, Wong Wah-shing and Wong Tsz-chun to pervert the course of public justice by agreeing to obstruct and frustrate an investig ation by the Customs and Excise Department (C&E) into the smuggling of 347 projection TV sets in five containers from Hong Kong into the Mainland.
They had arranged for a person uninvolved in the smuggling activities to present himself to C&E officers and to falsely admit his responsibility.
On January 20 this year, Lau had attempted to export the unmanifested TV sets on board a Chinese trading vessel off Tap Shek Kok in the Hong Kong waters.
Lau, Hui and Wong were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department. Ching and Ma were respectively released on cash bail of $200,000 and $150,000, and were ordered to report to a Police station once a week. Ching was also ordered to surrender his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
The prosecution was today represented by Joseph Pethes on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Clement Cheng.