Southern District Councillor found guilty of vote-planting
2001-10-4
An incumbent District Councillor, charged by the ICAC, was today (Thursday) convicted at Western Court of vote-planting offences in connection with the 1999 Southern District Council Election.
Lee Pui-ying, 60, was today found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) and two counts of inciting electors to pervert the course of public justice.
Magistrate Mr Symon Wong said that evidence given by ICAC witnesses during the trial was reliable, and that Lee's cautioned video interview was made voluntarily.
The magistrate adjourned sentencing until October 22, pending community service order and background reports.
Lee was a candidate who contested in the Stanley and Shek O Constituency and elected to the Southern District Council on November 28, 1999.
The court heard that Lee had conspired with Andrew Ng Cheong-fai and Choy Chi-king to defraud the REO by dishonestly causing Ng and Choy to be registered as electors in the Stanley and Shek O Constituency for the 1999 Southern District Council Election wi th false statements about their principal addresses.
Ng and Choy were caused to declare in their voter registration forms that an address in Stanley Main Street was their only or principal residences.
Lee had also unlawfully incited Ng and Choy to give false statements to any investigating authority that they had occasionally resided at the address concerned in order to look after a woman who was a relative of Lee.
The woman died in 1995. Ng and Choy were not acquainted with the woman.
The vote planting offences took place between January 1 and December 31, 1999.
Lee was granted cash bail of $20,000. She was ordered to surrender her travel documents within 24 hours, and not to leave Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Ng, 50, and Choy, 29, respectively a senior conveyancing clerk and a secretary of a solicitors' firm, were each sentenced to two months' imprisonment in April this year after pleading guilty to voting offences.
The prosecution was today represented by Newman Wong on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Bryan Chong.
Lee Pui-ying, 60, was today found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) and two counts of inciting electors to pervert the course of public justice.
Magistrate Mr Symon Wong said that evidence given by ICAC witnesses during the trial was reliable, and that Lee's cautioned video interview was made voluntarily.
The magistrate adjourned sentencing until October 22, pending community service order and background reports.
Lee was a candidate who contested in the Stanley and Shek O Constituency and elected to the Southern District Council on November 28, 1999.
The court heard that Lee had conspired with Andrew Ng Cheong-fai and Choy Chi-king to defraud the REO by dishonestly causing Ng and Choy to be registered as electors in the Stanley and Shek O Constituency for the 1999 Southern District Council Election wi th false statements about their principal addresses.
Ng and Choy were caused to declare in their voter registration forms that an address in Stanley Main Street was their only or principal residences.
Lee had also unlawfully incited Ng and Choy to give false statements to any investigating authority that they had occasionally resided at the address concerned in order to look after a woman who was a relative of Lee.
The woman died in 1995. Ng and Choy were not acquainted with the woman.
The vote planting offences took place between January 1 and December 31, 1999.
Lee was granted cash bail of $20,000. She was ordered to surrender her travel documents within 24 hours, and not to leave Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Ng, 50, and Choy, 29, respectively a senior conveyancing clerk and a secretary of a solicitors' firm, were each sentenced to two months' imprisonment in April this year after pleading guilty to voting offences.
The prosecution was today represented by Newman Wong on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Bryan Chong.