Four arrested and charged with voting offences at Nga Yiu Village VR Election
2013-2-19
Four registered electors of the 2011 Village Representative (VR) Election have been arrested and charged by the ICAC today (Tuesday) for allegedly committing voting offences in the VR Election for Nga Yiu Village in Ta Kwu Ling.
The defendants are Kong Kwok-hong, 54, his wife Ng Wai-lin, 50; Kong Ka-keng, 28, and Kong Ting-fung, 32, respectively son and nephew of the couple, each facing one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at the election, contrary to S ection 16(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
They each further face an alternative charge of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(iii) of the ECICO.
The defendants will appear in Fanling Magistracy at 9:30 am on Thursday (February 21) for plea.
The case arose from a complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences under the ECICO.
At the material time, the defendants were registered as electors of the 2011 VR Election (Resident Representative) of Nga Yiu Village.
The charges allege that on January 2, 2011, the defendants engaged in corrupt conduct at the VR Election by voting at the said election knowing that they were not entitled to do so.
It is alleged that the defendants had no longer resided in the village during the three years preceding the election.
The alternative charges allege the defendants of engaging in corrupt conduct on January 2, 2011 by voting at the said election after recklessly giving to the electoral officer materially false or misleading information that they understood the content of the standard dialogue.
On the polling day, polling officers of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) reminded all electors of the standard dialogue that if they no longer resided in the village, they were disqualified from being registered as electors, and that it was an offence if they cast their votes in the election.
The polling officers of HAD also ensured that the electors understood the standard dialogue before issuing ballot papers to them.
HAD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
The defendants are Kong Kwok-hong, 54, his wife Ng Wai-lin, 50; Kong Ka-keng, 28, and Kong Ting-fung, 32, respectively son and nephew of the couple, each facing one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at the election, contrary to S ection 16(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
They each further face an alternative charge of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting at an election, contrary to Section 16(1)(b)(iii) of the ECICO.
The defendants will appear in Fanling Magistracy at 9:30 am on Thursday (February 21) for plea.
The case arose from a complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences under the ECICO.
At the material time, the defendants were registered as electors of the 2011 VR Election (Resident Representative) of Nga Yiu Village.
The charges allege that on January 2, 2011, the defendants engaged in corrupt conduct at the VR Election by voting at the said election knowing that they were not entitled to do so.
It is alleged that the defendants had no longer resided in the village during the three years preceding the election.
The alternative charges allege the defendants of engaging in corrupt conduct on January 2, 2011 by voting at the said election after recklessly giving to the electoral officer materially false or misleading information that they understood the content of the standard dialogue.
On the polling day, polling officers of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) reminded all electors of the standard dialogue that if they no longer resided in the village, they were disqualified from being registered as electors, and that it was an offence if they cast their votes in the election.
The polling officers of HAD also ensured that the electors understood the standard dialogue before issuing ballot papers to them.
HAD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.