Immigration officer faces additional bribery charges while co-defendant absconds
2002-7-23
An immigration officer, charged by the ICAC for suspected bribery over the granting of visa extension to overseas workers, faced four additional corruption charges when appearing at District Court today (Tuesday).
Immigration Officer Tso Tak-keung, 40, attached to the Visa Extension Section, was today charged with four additional counts of soliciting and accepting advantages, contrary to the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
No plea was taken from Tso. The case was adjourned to August 6 for mention. Tso was granted bail of $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in surety and was ordered to surrender his travel documents, to report to the police three times a week and not to leave Hong K ong.
Two of the additional charges alleged Tso of accepting $15,000 in total from ZEE Tan David as rewards for expediting the applications for extension of visa of KAWIROT Chutikan and DEERUKSA Roonglawan, contrary to Section (4)(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bri bery Ordinance.
The remaining two charges alleged Tso of soliciting a $20,000 loan from SINPROM Pranee and accepting $10,000 in loan from MUNUKHETKLANG Niwat, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, under Section (3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The offences took place between March and June 2001.
Tso was earlier charged with seven offences, three of which alleged Tso of accepting $11,000 in total from ZEE Tan David and SINGSAT Song between November 2001 and January 2002 as rewards for expediting the applications for extension of visa of three over seas workers in Hong Kong.
One other charge alleged him of soliciting a $20,000 loan from SINGSAT Song without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, under Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Tso was also alleged of one count of conspiring with SINPROM Pranee to accept advantages from a number of persons for expediting the latter's applications for extension of visa.
He was further charged with one count of stealing 50 blank Permits to Land in the HKSAR belonging to the Government.
The other charge alleged Tso of accepting $2,000 from Ho Wan-chung Alan for unlawfully providing to the latter blank Permits to Land in the HKSAR from the Immigration Department.
Tso was jointly charged with Ho on one count of conspiracy to make false Permits to Land in the HKSAR.
Ho, 41, businessman, who further faced five counts of offences for handling stolen goods, possessing false instruments and aiding and abetting the breach of condition of stay, failed to answer court today. He was earlier granted bail of $30,000 in cash.
The District Court has issued a warrant for his arrest on the application of the ICAC.
Anyone who has information on his whereabouts or any other information which may lead to his arrest is requested to contact the ICAC on its 24-hour hotline 2526 6366. Information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The prosecution was today represented by Government Counsel Kathie Cheung, assisted by ICAC officer Petrus Au.
Immigration Officer Tso Tak-keung, 40, attached to the Visa Extension Section, was today charged with four additional counts of soliciting and accepting advantages, contrary to the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
No plea was taken from Tso. The case was adjourned to August 6 for mention. Tso was granted bail of $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in surety and was ordered to surrender his travel documents, to report to the police three times a week and not to leave Hong K ong.
Two of the additional charges alleged Tso of accepting $15,000 in total from ZEE Tan David as rewards for expediting the applications for extension of visa of KAWIROT Chutikan and DEERUKSA Roonglawan, contrary to Section (4)(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bri bery Ordinance.
The remaining two charges alleged Tso of soliciting a $20,000 loan from SINPROM Pranee and accepting $10,000 in loan from MUNUKHETKLANG Niwat, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, under Section (3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The offences took place between March and June 2001.
Tso was earlier charged with seven offences, three of which alleged Tso of accepting $11,000 in total from ZEE Tan David and SINGSAT Song between November 2001 and January 2002 as rewards for expediting the applications for extension of visa of three over seas workers in Hong Kong.
One other charge alleged him of soliciting a $20,000 loan from SINGSAT Song without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, under Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Tso was also alleged of one count of conspiring with SINPROM Pranee to accept advantages from a number of persons for expediting the latter's applications for extension of visa.
He was further charged with one count of stealing 50 blank Permits to Land in the HKSAR belonging to the Government.
The other charge alleged Tso of accepting $2,000 from Ho Wan-chung Alan for unlawfully providing to the latter blank Permits to Land in the HKSAR from the Immigration Department.
Tso was jointly charged with Ho on one count of conspiracy to make false Permits to Land in the HKSAR.
Ho, 41, businessman, who further faced five counts of offences for handling stolen goods, possessing false instruments and aiding and abetting the breach of condition of stay, failed to answer court today. He was earlier granted bail of $30,000 in cash.
The District Court has issued a warrant for his arrest on the application of the ICAC.
Anyone who has information on his whereabouts or any other information which may lead to his arrest is requested to contact the ICAC on its 24-hour hotline 2526 6366. Information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The prosecution was today represented by Government Counsel Kathie Cheung, assisted by ICAC officer Petrus Au.