Three registered voters of the 2003 Village Representative (VR) Election were today (Thursday) charged by the ICAC for alleged voting offences in relation to the election for Ngau Hom Tsuen in Lau Fau Shan, Yuen Long.

The defendants are Wong Wai-tim, 36, chef; Wong Kam-shun, 34, unemployed; and Wong Wai-shun, 31, salesman.

They will appear at Tuen Mun Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Friday), each facing one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance.

The charges allege the defendants of having engaged in corrupt conduct at the 2003 Village Representative Election (Resident Representative) for Ngau Hom Tsuen by voting at the election on August 18, 2003, after having given to an electoral officer inform ation that they knew to be materially false or misleading.

The alleged false information, contained in a declaration in their Applications for Voter Registration (Village Representative Election –'96 Resident Representative), purportedly showed that:

- the principal residential address of the defendants was a premises in Ngau Hom Tsuen, Lau Fau Shan;

- the said principal residential address was the only or main residence of the defendants in Hong Kong; and

- the defendants had been residents of Ngau Hom Tsuen for the three years immediately before applying to be registered and were eligible to be registered as an elector for an existing village.

The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.