Thirty-six more charged for alleged vote-rigging at DC Election
2012-6-13
Thirty-six persons have been charged by the ICAC for alleged vote-rigging and conspiracy to defraud the electoral registration officer in relation to the 2011 Yau Tsim Mong District Council (DC) Election (King’s Park Constituency) following the earlier prosecution of 15 others.
The defendants, aged from 23 to 65, who were charged since Monday, will appear in Kowloon City Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (June 14) or Friday (June 15) for pleas in 12 separate cases.
Thirty-one of the defendants each face one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(i) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
They are Chau Ka-kuen, Lau Ching-yee, Cheng Lai-wan, Lau Ching-ching, Sonia Cheung Kwai-yip, Lai Ming-wing, Ng Yee, Chan Siu-kwan, Tai Hoi-lung, Chan Sun-hui, Chan Yuet-sun, Yip Chi-keung, Ho Siu-ping, Leung Ho-kwong, Cheung Ming, Cheung Sui-ping, Tsang P o-kei, Oswald Cheung Kwan-ding, Derrick Cheung Kwan-ho, Fanta Choi Heung-yu, Yim Sze-ming, Tai Hin-ming, Yim Mei-ki, Tang Sui-kay, Chan Chung-lung, Chan Yuet-sang, Luk Kong-shing, Ho King-cheung, Leung Li-fung, Tai Lai-yee and Yim Ho-man.
Three other defendants are Chan Wai-kin, Cheung Kwai-yuk and Ku Chiu-ming.
The trio are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(i) of the ECICO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance, with each facing an alternative charge of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election.
The charges allege that on November 6, 2011, the defendants engaged or conspired with other persons to engage in corrupt conduct at the 2011 Yau Tsim Mong DC Election (King’s Park Constituency) by voting at the election after having given false information that the addresses appearing on the Voter Registration Forms (VRFs) submitted in their names to the electoral registration officer were their only or principal residences.
The remaining two defendants are Yeung Pui-kwan and Lam Hoi-ping, each facing one count of conspiracy to defraud.
The charges alleged Yeung and Lam of conspiring with other persons to defraud the electoral registration officer by falsely representing in applications for voter registration that the addresses appearing on the VRFs submitted in the names of other person s to the electoral registration officer were their only or principal residences.
All the defendants are alleged to have provided or conspired with other persons to provide 12 false addresses in Yin Chong Street, Soy Street, Fa Yuen Street and Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok in voter registration to enable them or other persons to vote at t he election.
Apart from the above 36 defendants, seven and eight other persons were earlier charged by the ICAC for their alleged roles in vote-rigging and providing false information in the registration of electors in the election respectively.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow and Friday.
The defendants, aged from 23 to 65, who were charged since Monday, will appear in Kowloon City Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (June 14) or Friday (June 15) for pleas in 12 separate cases.
Thirty-one of the defendants each face one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(i) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
They are Chau Ka-kuen, Lau Ching-yee, Cheng Lai-wan, Lau Ching-ching, Sonia Cheung Kwai-yip, Lai Ming-wing, Ng Yee, Chan Siu-kwan, Tai Hoi-lung, Chan Sun-hui, Chan Yuet-sun, Yip Chi-keung, Ho Siu-ping, Leung Ho-kwong, Cheung Ming, Cheung Sui-ping, Tsang P o-kei, Oswald Cheung Kwan-ding, Derrick Cheung Kwan-ho, Fanta Choi Heung-yu, Yim Sze-ming, Tai Hin-ming, Yim Mei-ki, Tang Sui-kay, Chan Chung-lung, Chan Yuet-sang, Luk Kong-shing, Ho King-cheung, Leung Li-fung, Tai Lai-yee and Yim Ho-man.
Three other defendants are Chan Wai-kin, Cheung Kwai-yuk and Ku Chiu-ming.
The trio are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(i) of the ECICO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance, with each facing an alternative charge of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election.
The charges allege that on November 6, 2011, the defendants engaged or conspired with other persons to engage in corrupt conduct at the 2011 Yau Tsim Mong DC Election (King’s Park Constituency) by voting at the election after having given false information that the addresses appearing on the Voter Registration Forms (VRFs) submitted in their names to the electoral registration officer were their only or principal residences.
The remaining two defendants are Yeung Pui-kwan and Lam Hoi-ping, each facing one count of conspiracy to defraud.
The charges alleged Yeung and Lam of conspiring with other persons to defraud the electoral registration officer by falsely representing in applications for voter registration that the addresses appearing on the VRFs submitted in the names of other person s to the electoral registration officer were their only or principal residences.
All the defendants are alleged to have provided or conspired with other persons to provide 12 false addresses in Yin Chong Street, Soy Street, Fa Yuen Street and Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok in voter registration to enable them or other persons to vote at t he election.
Apart from the above 36 defendants, seven and eight other persons were earlier charged by the ICAC for their alleged roles in vote-rigging and providing false information in the registration of electors in the election respectively.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance tomorrow and Friday.