Man gets 56 months for perversion over staging drug arrest
2002-10-9
A man serving a seven-year jail term for drug trafficking was today (Wednesday) sentenced to another 56 months' imprisonment in an ICAC case for orchestrating a "staged" drug transaction to mitigate for a lighter sentence in his previous drug trial.
Wong Kwok-kau, 42, today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice at the Court of First Instance.
The case arose from an ICAC enquiry into corruption allegations over "staged" arrests of drug traffickers.
The court heard that Wong had intentionally misled the sentencing judge in his previous drug case by setting up a bogus drug transaction, claiming that he had provided information to the Police which had led to the seizure of about 10 kilogrammes of "ice" .
The court eventually reduced a starting point of 21 years to seven years, also taking into account his guilty plea.
Deputy Judge Day said the defendant had committed the most serious perversion offence by abusing the judicial system in relation to reduction of sentence.
The judge said the starting point of seven years in this ICAC case was reduced to 56 months, taking into account his guilty plea.
The charge stated that between July 8, 1999 and April 28, 2000, Wong had conspired with Police Sergeant Lai Ka-cheong, a person identified by the pseudonym "D123" and others to pervert the course of public justice.
They had dishonestly permitted the setting up of a dangerous drug transaction and causing information concerning that transaction to be supplied to the Hong Kong Police, thereby enabling Wong to obtain a reduction in the sentence imposed on him in a Court of First Instance case concerning drug trafficking.
Mok Wai-keung, who was also charged for his alleged role in the "staged" transaction, will stand trial at the Court of First Instance tomorrow (Thursday).
Mok, 40, prisoner, faced one count of conspiring with a person identified by the pseudonym "D123", a Pakistani male known as "Tiger" and a Nepalese male to unlawfully traffic in "ice" on July 8, 1999.
The prosecution was today represented by Shaun Kelly on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Eric Fan.
Wong Kwok-kau, 42, today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice at the Court of First Instance.
The case arose from an ICAC enquiry into corruption allegations over "staged" arrests of drug traffickers.
The court heard that Wong had intentionally misled the sentencing judge in his previous drug case by setting up a bogus drug transaction, claiming that he had provided information to the Police which had led to the seizure of about 10 kilogrammes of "ice" .
The court eventually reduced a starting point of 21 years to seven years, also taking into account his guilty plea.
Deputy Judge Day said the defendant had committed the most serious perversion offence by abusing the judicial system in relation to reduction of sentence.
The judge said the starting point of seven years in this ICAC case was reduced to 56 months, taking into account his guilty plea.
The charge stated that between July 8, 1999 and April 28, 2000, Wong had conspired with Police Sergeant Lai Ka-cheong, a person identified by the pseudonym "D123" and others to pervert the course of public justice.
They had dishonestly permitted the setting up of a dangerous drug transaction and causing information concerning that transaction to be supplied to the Hong Kong Police, thereby enabling Wong to obtain a reduction in the sentence imposed on him in a Court of First Instance case concerning drug trafficking.
Mok Wai-keung, who was also charged for his alleged role in the "staged" transaction, will stand trial at the Court of First Instance tomorrow (Thursday).
Mok, 40, prisoner, faced one count of conspiring with a person identified by the pseudonym "D123", a Pakistani male known as "Tiger" and a Nepalese male to unlawfully traffic in "ice" on July 8, 1999.
The prosecution was today represented by Shaun Kelly on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Eric Fan.