30 months' jail for CSD officer taking bribes and smuggling unauthorized articles into prison
2004-10-5
An Assistant Officer II of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) was today (Tuesday) sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment at District Court for accepting loans and a $10,000 bribe for smuggling unauthorized articles into prison for an inmate.
So Lap-chung, 31, was also fined $1,300 and ordered to pay a restitution of $10,000 to the Hong Kong Government.
In sentencing, Judge To Kwai-fung said it was a serious offence for a CSD officer to introduce unauthorized articles into prison for bribes.
By doing so, the defendant might adversely affect the order of the prison, and endanger the effective management of the prison, the judge added.
So was today found guilty of eight offences –'96 five of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, one of public servant accepting an advantage, one of conspiracy to carry unauthorized article out of prison, and one of conspiracy to introduce unauthorized article into prison.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, So was attached to Stanley Prison.
Between April and November last year, So had, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, accepted loans totalling $1,900, and a gift of model vessel worth $1,000 from a woman, whose boyfriend was serving his time at Stanley Prison.
In August last year, So also accepted $10,000 in cash from the woman as a reward for bringing a pager into the prison for her boyfriend.
The court also heard that on two separate occasions in July and August last year, the woman requested So to bring a total of 20 photographs into the prison for her boyfriend. The prisoner later gave the photographs back to So after sighting them.
In November last year, So carried out of the prison a bag containing the photographs, and returned them to the woman, the court heard.
One month later, at the request of the woman, So brought the prisoner a pair of spectacles as a birthday gift.
The prosecution was today represented by Mr Valentine Yim, counsel on fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Alan Wong.
So Lap-chung, 31, was also fined $1,300 and ordered to pay a restitution of $10,000 to the Hong Kong Government.
In sentencing, Judge To Kwai-fung said it was a serious offence for a CSD officer to introduce unauthorized articles into prison for bribes.
By doing so, the defendant might adversely affect the order of the prison, and endanger the effective management of the prison, the judge added.
So was today found guilty of eight offences –'96 five of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, one of public servant accepting an advantage, one of conspiracy to carry unauthorized article out of prison, and one of conspiracy to introduce unauthorized article into prison.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, So was attached to Stanley Prison.
Between April and November last year, So had, without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive, accepted loans totalling $1,900, and a gift of model vessel worth $1,000 from a woman, whose boyfriend was serving his time at Stanley Prison.
In August last year, So also accepted $10,000 in cash from the woman as a reward for bringing a pager into the prison for her boyfriend.
The court also heard that on two separate occasions in July and August last year, the woman requested So to bring a total of 20 photographs into the prison for her boyfriend. The prisoner later gave the photographs back to So after sighting them.
In November last year, So carried out of the prison a bag containing the photographs, and returned them to the woman, the court heard.
One month later, at the request of the woman, So brought the prisoner a pair of spectacles as a birthday gift.
The prosecution was today represented by Mr Valentine Yim, counsel on fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Alan Wong.