Suspended jail sentences for 19 FEHD officers perverting over hawker raids
2002-9-12
Nineteen serving Hawker Control Grade officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), charged by the ICAC, were today (Thursday) sentenced to suspended jail terms at District Court for conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice i n taking enforcement action against hawkers at Yan Oi Court in Kwun Tong.
Two Senior Hawker Control Officers (SHCOs), four Hawker Control Officers (HCOs) and 13 Assistant Hawker Control Officers (AHCOs), were earlier found guilty of one joint charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
Wong Shing-yim, 58, Yeung How-hang, 53, both SHCOs, each received a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for one year. Four HCOs - Yung Hon-fui, 50, Tang Wai-keung, 50, Ip Hon-mo, 47, Cheung Tim-lam, 48 - also had their six months' jail term suspended for 12 months.
Tung Kwai-fuk, 41, Lau Kwong-fai, 34, Li Kwok-chuen, 40, Chan Wing-chi, 42, Chan Ho-kwong, 38, Yuen Wan-ip, 45, Kam Suk-fong, 38, Cheung Wing-chong, 47, Lau Shek-ping, 53, Chow Wing-cheong, 37, Chan Chi-shing, 41, Leung Hing-kwan, 48, and Liu Chi-cheung, 44, all AHCOs, were each jailed for three months, also suspended for 12 months.
In passing sentences, Deputy Judge MacKintosh said the offence committed by the defendants had impaired the administration of justice and brought adverse impact on the rule of law.
The judge said the "perversion" scheme at Yan Oi Court was not initiated by the defendants, and also there was no evidence of corruption involved in the scheme.
Also taking into account past records which showed the defendants had good character and were diligent, suspended jail sentences were imposed, the judge said.
All the defendants were attached to the Kwun Tong District Hawkers Section of the then Urban Services Department at the time of the offence.
The case arose from a referral from FEHD, which suspected that some Hawker Control Grade officers might have accepted bribes from hawkers at Yan Oi Court for not taking proper enforcement action.
The ICAC received full co-operation and assistance from FEHD throughout its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Michael Delaney on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Patrick Tang.
Two Senior Hawker Control Officers (SHCOs), four Hawker Control Officers (HCOs) and 13 Assistant Hawker Control Officers (AHCOs), were earlier found guilty of one joint charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice.
Wong Shing-yim, 58, Yeung How-hang, 53, both SHCOs, each received a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for one year. Four HCOs - Yung Hon-fui, 50, Tang Wai-keung, 50, Ip Hon-mo, 47, Cheung Tim-lam, 48 - also had their six months' jail term suspended for 12 months.
Tung Kwai-fuk, 41, Lau Kwong-fai, 34, Li Kwok-chuen, 40, Chan Wing-chi, 42, Chan Ho-kwong, 38, Yuen Wan-ip, 45, Kam Suk-fong, 38, Cheung Wing-chong, 47, Lau Shek-ping, 53, Chow Wing-cheong, 37, Chan Chi-shing, 41, Leung Hing-kwan, 48, and Liu Chi-cheung, 44, all AHCOs, were each jailed for three months, also suspended for 12 months.
In passing sentences, Deputy Judge MacKintosh said the offence committed by the defendants had impaired the administration of justice and brought adverse impact on the rule of law.
The judge said the "perversion" scheme at Yan Oi Court was not initiated by the defendants, and also there was no evidence of corruption involved in the scheme.
Also taking into account past records which showed the defendants had good character and were diligent, suspended jail sentences were imposed, the judge said.
All the defendants were attached to the Kwun Tong District Hawkers Section of the then Urban Services Department at the time of the offence.
The case arose from a referral from FEHD, which suspected that some Hawker Control Grade officers might have accepted bribes from hawkers at Yan Oi Court for not taking proper enforcement action.
The ICAC received full co-operation and assistance from FEHD throughout its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Michael Delaney on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Patrick Tang.