Man sentenced for impersonating ICAC officer
2014-6-11
A man, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) sentenced at the Fanling Magistracy for having impersonated an officer of the anti-corruption agency in letters to a department store so as to take revenge on his wife’s co-worker who teased her.
Kwan Shun-ho, 46, unemployed, was jailed for two months, suspended for 18 months.
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Ms Bernadette Woo Huey-fang remarked that the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature.
The magistrate added that a suspended sentence was imposed on the defendant after taking into account his guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The defendant earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of falsely pretending to be an ICAC officer, contrary to Section 13C(a) of the ICAC Ordinance.
The court heard that in July 2013, the defendant’s wife was employed by a sofa manufacturer as a sales representative stationed at a store of AEON Stores (Hong Kong) Company Limited (AEON) in Tuen Mun.
While sofas supplied by other furniture sellers were also available for sale at the store, a woman was employed by one of those sellers as a sales representative.
Learning from his wife that she was teased by the woman, the defendant took revenge on her by issuing to AEON three letters purportedly issued by the ICAC that the woman was under its investigation for corruption and other illegal acts.
The court heard that on October 29, 2013, the defendant issued to AEON the first letter in the name of an ICAC officer called Ching Chi-yin and printed with a logo of the ICAC copied from its official website.
In this letter, the defendant alleged that upon receipt of a complaint, the anti-corruption agency had conducted an investigation into the woman for suspected corruption and other illegal acts, and requested AEON to immediately suspend her work and remove her from the store before she was taken away by ICAC officers for investigation.
The court heard that on November 18, 2013, the defendant issued the second letter to AEON in the name of Ching reiterating the content of his first letter.
Eleven days later, the defendant issued the third letter in the name of Ching to the person-in-charge of the human resource department at the store.
In the letter, the defendant said the ICAC had secured sufficient evidence and applied for an arrest warrant against the woman. He also requested AEON to remove the woman from the store.
ICAC investigation revealed that Ching was not an ICAC officer, the court was told.
AEON had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Matthew Leung, assisted by ICAC officer Ken Wong.
Kwan Shun-ho, 46, unemployed, was jailed for two months, suspended for 18 months.
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Ms Bernadette Woo Huey-fang remarked that the offences committed by the defendant were serious in nature.
The magistrate added that a suspended sentence was imposed on the defendant after taking into account his guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The defendant earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of falsely pretending to be an ICAC officer, contrary to Section 13C(a) of the ICAC Ordinance.
The court heard that in July 2013, the defendant’s wife was employed by a sofa manufacturer as a sales representative stationed at a store of AEON Stores (Hong Kong) Company Limited (AEON) in Tuen Mun.
While sofas supplied by other furniture sellers were also available for sale at the store, a woman was employed by one of those sellers as a sales representative.
Learning from his wife that she was teased by the woman, the defendant took revenge on her by issuing to AEON three letters purportedly issued by the ICAC that the woman was under its investigation for corruption and other illegal acts.
The court heard that on October 29, 2013, the defendant issued to AEON the first letter in the name of an ICAC officer called Ching Chi-yin and printed with a logo of the ICAC copied from its official website.
In this letter, the defendant alleged that upon receipt of a complaint, the anti-corruption agency had conducted an investigation into the woman for suspected corruption and other illegal acts, and requested AEON to immediately suspend her work and remove her from the store before she was taken away by ICAC officers for investigation.
The court heard that on November 18, 2013, the defendant issued the second letter to AEON in the name of Ching reiterating the content of his first letter.
Eleven days later, the defendant issued the third letter in the name of Ching to the person-in-charge of the human resource department at the store.
In the letter, the defendant said the ICAC had secured sufficient evidence and applied for an arrest warrant against the woman. He also requested AEON to remove the woman from the store.
ICAC investigation revealed that Ching was not an ICAC officer, the court was told.
AEON had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Matthew Leung, assisted by ICAC officer Ken Wong.