Seven months' jail for hawker masterminding Marble Road 'scapegoat plots'
2002-3-12
An unlicenced hawker operating at Marble Road, North Point, was today (Tuesday) sentenced to seven months' imprisonment for orchestrating "scapegoat plots" and arranging substitutes for arrests by Hawker Control Officers (HCOs).
District Court Deputy Judge Garry Tallentire said the offence committed by Wong Sang was serious, but he had taken into account Wong's guilty plea and his old age in giving discounts to the 12-month starting point.
Wong, 68, was jointly charged with Lau Wai-lin, 40, by the ICAC with one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
The charges stated that the defendants had conspired with others to falsely represent to HCOs of the then Urban Services department and Courts of Justice in Hong Kong that certain hawkers were the owners of hawker barrows which had obstructed public place s.
Lau , who acted as a substitute for arrest under Wong's arrangement, also pleaded guilty and received a two-month prison term due to her relatively minor role in the scam.
The court heard that some illegal hawkers at Marble Road had reached an agreement whereby "scapegoats" were to be recruited for HCOs' arrests and subsequent prosecutions by the Police.
For each staged arrest, each 'scapegoat' received a reward of $200 to $300, which were contributed by the hawkers involved in the scam.
The ICAC had observed at Marble Road after receiving information from the Police that corruption might be involved in illegal hawking activities.
On a number of occasions between January and November 1999, Wong and some hawkers were seen arguing with HCOs at Marble Road regarding the number of "scapegoats" to be arrested.
On February 26, 1999, Lau was seen standing in for a hawker whose barrow had been seized by some HCOs, and accepting some money from another hawker before boarding a USD vehicle.
Lau was subsequently charged by the Police with obstruction offences.
The prosecution was today represented by Government Counsel Marco Li, assisted by ICAC officer Dragon Au.
District Court Deputy Judge Garry Tallentire said the offence committed by Wong Sang was serious, but he had taken into account Wong's guilty plea and his old age in giving discounts to the 12-month starting point.
Wong, 68, was jointly charged with Lau Wai-lin, 40, by the ICAC with one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
The charges stated that the defendants had conspired with others to falsely represent to HCOs of the then Urban Services department and Courts of Justice in Hong Kong that certain hawkers were the owners of hawker barrows which had obstructed public place s.
Lau , who acted as a substitute for arrest under Wong's arrangement, also pleaded guilty and received a two-month prison term due to her relatively minor role in the scam.
The court heard that some illegal hawkers at Marble Road had reached an agreement whereby "scapegoats" were to be recruited for HCOs' arrests and subsequent prosecutions by the Police.
For each staged arrest, each 'scapegoat' received a reward of $200 to $300, which were contributed by the hawkers involved in the scam.
The ICAC had observed at Marble Road after receiving information from the Police that corruption might be involved in illegal hawking activities.
On a number of occasions between January and November 1999, Wong and some hawkers were seen arguing with HCOs at Marble Road regarding the number of "scapegoats" to be arrested.
On February 26, 1999, Lau was seen standing in for a hawker whose barrow had been seized by some HCOs, and accepting some money from another hawker before boarding a USD vehicle.
Lau was subsequently charged by the Police with obstruction offences.
The prosecution was today represented by Government Counsel Marco Li, assisted by ICAC officer Dragon Au.