Court of Appeal upholds former Immigration Officer's passport scam conviction
2002-3-1
The Court of Appeal dismissed the application made by a former Immigration Officer to appeal against his conviction for involvement in illicit passport trade.
Lam Yuk-fai, 43, charged by the ICAC, was found guilty in February 2001 by a jury at the Court of First Instance on one count of possessing a false diplomatic passport purportedly issued by the Republic of Guinea Bissau.
The jury also convicted him on one count of conspiring with former customs officer Chu Hak-lan to transfer diplomatic passports of the Government of Sao Tome and Principe to a person known as Arkadiy without reasonable excuse.
The offences took place between January 1997 and March 1999.
The former Immigration Officer was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.
Lam raised five grounds of appeal which were considered by Vice-President Mr Justice Stuart-Moore, Justice of Appeal Mr Justice Stock and Judge of the Court of First Instance Mr Justice Lugar-Mawson.
The appellant argued that the trial judge had misdirected the jury on various matters, including ingredients of the offences and approach to certain evidence.
The Appeal Court ruled that all these grounds failed and upheld Lam's conviction.
The prosecution was represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Ian McWalters.
Lam Yuk-fai, 43, charged by the ICAC, was found guilty in February 2001 by a jury at the Court of First Instance on one count of possessing a false diplomatic passport purportedly issued by the Republic of Guinea Bissau.
The jury also convicted him on one count of conspiring with former customs officer Chu Hak-lan to transfer diplomatic passports of the Government of Sao Tome and Principe to a person known as Arkadiy without reasonable excuse.
The offences took place between January 1997 and March 1999.
The former Immigration Officer was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.
Lam raised five grounds of appeal which were considered by Vice-President Mr Justice Stuart-Moore, Justice of Appeal Mr Justice Stock and Judge of the Court of First Instance Mr Justice Lugar-Mawson.
The appellant argued that the trial judge had misdirected the jury on various matters, including ingredients of the offences and approach to certain evidence.
The Appeal Court ruled that all these grounds failed and upheld Lam's conviction.
The prosecution was represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Ian McWalters.