Three jailed for roles in Jockey Club membership scams
2012-5-30
A member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and two other persons, charged by the ICAC, were today (Wednesday) sentenced to various jail terms at the District Court for accepting $550,000 in bribes and laundering crime proceeds totalling $1.25 million in relation to membership scams.
Robert Ng Ka-ki, alias Robert Woo, 57, a member of HKJC and also a merchant, received a jail term of two and a half years, while his two associates Lam Wai-chee, 60, a clerk, and Tang Kang-chung, 50, a casual worker, were jailed for two years and three an d a half years respectively.
Ng was also ordered to pay $300,000 as restitution to HKJC, while the remaining $250,000 had to be returned to the ICAC.
In sentencing, Judge Joseph Yau Chi-lap remarked that Hong Kong had successfully turned from a corruption infected city into one of the cleanest places in the world as a result of nearly 40 years of unrelenting efforts to fight corruption.
In order not to allow the defendants being a small bunch of unscrupulous people to damage this hard-earned reputation, the court had to mete out heavier jail terms to them, the judge added.
Ng earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO), while the prosecution offered no evidence to three counts of conspiracy to defraud against him.
Lam was convicted of one count of aiding and abetting agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 89 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, while Tang was found guilty of three counts of dealing with property known or b elieved to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
The court heard that through Tang, Ng became acquainted with two ICAC undercover officers posing as red wine traders. In July 2010, Ng arranged for Lam to receive $250,000 cash on his behalf from one of the undercover officers.
After receiving the bribe payment, Ng asked Lam to hand over a racing member application form to the undercover officer.
At a subsequent meeting, Ng and Lam arranged for John Douglas Mackie, an honorary voting member of HKJC, and a voting member of HKJC to respectively propose and second the application.
Ng, as a member of HKJC, then supported the application by falsely representing his acquaintance with the undercover officer. Afterwards, the application was submitted to HKJC.
In September 2009, Ng also accepted $300,000 cash from another applicant for providing similar assistance to the latter in his racing membership application, the court heard.
Ng caused Mackie, Stanley Lawrence Freedman, another honorary voting member of HKJC, and three other members of HKJC to propose, second and support the application respectively.
The court also heard that between late 2008 and July 2010, Tang handled a total of $1.25 million from a merchant for helping his son become a racing member and then a full member of HKJC.
Mackie, 83, and Freedman, 84, both honorary voting members of HKJC, along with To Wing, 64 and Tong Kam-pui, 63, both members of HKJC, who were also charged by the ICAC, earlier pleaded not guilty to their charges and will appear at the District Court for mention on June 1.
HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Adrian Bell and Public Prosecutor Jonathan Lin, assisted by ICAC officer Ronald Chan.
Robert Ng Ka-ki, alias Robert Woo, 57, a member of HKJC and also a merchant, received a jail term of two and a half years, while his two associates Lam Wai-chee, 60, a clerk, and Tang Kang-chung, 50, a casual worker, were jailed for two years and three an d a half years respectively.
Ng was also ordered to pay $300,000 as restitution to HKJC, while the remaining $250,000 had to be returned to the ICAC.
In sentencing, Judge Joseph Yau Chi-lap remarked that Hong Kong had successfully turned from a corruption infected city into one of the cleanest places in the world as a result of nearly 40 years of unrelenting efforts to fight corruption.
In order not to allow the defendants being a small bunch of unscrupulous people to damage this hard-earned reputation, the court had to mete out heavier jail terms to them, the judge added.
Ng earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO), while the prosecution offered no evidence to three counts of conspiracy to defraud against him.
Lam was convicted of one count of aiding and abetting agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 89 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, while Tang was found guilty of three counts of dealing with property known or b elieved to represent proceeds of an indictable offence, contrary to Section 25(1) of the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
The court heard that through Tang, Ng became acquainted with two ICAC undercover officers posing as red wine traders. In July 2010, Ng arranged for Lam to receive $250,000 cash on his behalf from one of the undercover officers.
After receiving the bribe payment, Ng asked Lam to hand over a racing member application form to the undercover officer.
At a subsequent meeting, Ng and Lam arranged for John Douglas Mackie, an honorary voting member of HKJC, and a voting member of HKJC to respectively propose and second the application.
Ng, as a member of HKJC, then supported the application by falsely representing his acquaintance with the undercover officer. Afterwards, the application was submitted to HKJC.
In September 2009, Ng also accepted $300,000 cash from another applicant for providing similar assistance to the latter in his racing membership application, the court heard.
Ng caused Mackie, Stanley Lawrence Freedman, another honorary voting member of HKJC, and three other members of HKJC to propose, second and support the application respectively.
The court also heard that between late 2008 and July 2010, Tang handled a total of $1.25 million from a merchant for helping his son become a racing member and then a full member of HKJC.
Mackie, 83, and Freedman, 84, both honorary voting members of HKJC, along with To Wing, 64 and Tong Kam-pui, 63, both members of HKJC, who were also charged by the ICAC, earlier pleaded not guilty to their charges and will appear at the District Court for mention on June 1.
HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Adrian Bell and Public Prosecutor Jonathan Lin, assisted by ICAC officer Ronald Chan.