Policeman gets three months for accepting advantage over stolen handbag
2005-11-23
A Police Constable, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) sentenced to three months' imprisonment at Kowloon City Magistracy for accepting an advantage in relation to a stolen handbag.
Pato Fong Wah-tak, 39, was found guilty of one count of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Kevin Browne reprimanded Fong for intentionally concealing his identity as a police officer while asking a woman for a reward for returning her stolen handbag.
The court heard that on July 18 last year, Fong received information from his contact that a stolen handbag was left at the entrance of a building.
Later in the evening, Fong took possession of the handbag from the contact in Mongkok.
Fong telephoned the police console to ascertain that no one had reported the snatching of handbag in Mongkok or Yaumatei. Meanwhile, he did not report that he had obtained possession of a stolen handbag.
Fong later got in touch with the handbag owner after contacting two of her relatives, but did not disclose his identity as a police officer. Fong was asked by the relatives to deliver the handbag to a nearby police station, but he refused.
Fong told the woman that it would cost her $500 to replace her identity card and re-entry permit.
The woman agreed to offer $200 odd to get her identity card and re-entry permit back.
The two then met in Mongkok. On getting back her handbag, the woman gave Fong $200 odd, without realizing that Fong was a serving police officer.
When interviewed by ICAC officers, the woman confirmed that had she known that Fong was a police officer, she would not have given him any reward for returning her handbag.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel William Tam, assisted by ICAC officer Calvin Wong.
Pato Fong Wah-tak, 39, was found guilty of one count of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Kevin Browne reprimanded Fong for intentionally concealing his identity as a police officer while asking a woman for a reward for returning her stolen handbag.
The court heard that on July 18 last year, Fong received information from his contact that a stolen handbag was left at the entrance of a building.
Later in the evening, Fong took possession of the handbag from the contact in Mongkok.
Fong telephoned the police console to ascertain that no one had reported the snatching of handbag in Mongkok or Yaumatei. Meanwhile, he did not report that he had obtained possession of a stolen handbag.
Fong later got in touch with the handbag owner after contacting two of her relatives, but did not disclose his identity as a police officer. Fong was asked by the relatives to deliver the handbag to a nearby police station, but he refused.
Fong told the woman that it would cost her $500 to replace her identity card and re-entry permit.
The woman agreed to offer $200 odd to get her identity card and re-entry permit back.
The two then met in Mongkok. On getting back her handbag, the woman gave Fong $200 odd, without realizing that Fong was a serving police officer.
When interviewed by ICAC officers, the woman confirmed that had she known that Fong was a police officer, she would not have given him any reward for returning her handbag.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel William Tam, assisted by ICAC officer Calvin Wong.