Superintendent of Police and two others jailed for bribery over operation of private clubs
2018-10-18
A Superintendent of Police (SP) and two operators of two private clubs, charged by the ICAC, were today (October 18) sentenced to jail terms up to 28 months at the District Court for respectively accepting and offering bribes of $570,000 in total in relation to the operation of the private clubs in Wan Chai.
Ng Wai-hon, 54, SP, was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment, while Luen Kei-cheung, 47, and Tse Hoi-kin, 38, both operators of MB Club Mont. Busa (MBC) and GOLDEN, were jailed for 20 months and 12 months respectively.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Li Chi-ho said Ng, as a senior police officer who held confidential information, had abused his position to commit crimes. Hence, he was the most culpable among the defendants in the bribery scam.
The deputy judge also said Luen, who played a bridging role in the case, shared the same culpability as Ng, while Tse played a lesser role in the scam.
The deputy judge ordered Ng to pay the Government a restitution of $219,000, apart from $351,000 being part of the bribes seized from him during the ICAC investigation.
Ng and Luen earlier pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Tse admitted an alternative charge of aiding and abetting another person to offer an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 89 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, Ng was a SP attached to the Administration and Support (Crime) of Crime Hong Kong Island Regional Headquarters, who was tasked to oversee the operation of its Regional Anti-triad Unit (RATU). Luen and Tse were both operators of MBC and GOLDEN, private clubs in Wan Chai.
In June 2015, the RATU started to investigate MBC for suspected vice activities. In mid-2016, the RATU also started an investigation into GOLDEN after receiving intelligence about its operation. The progress of the investigations was reported to Ng.
The court heard that Ng was seen meeting Luen and/or Tse on 11 occasions and visiting MBC twice between March 31, 2016 and January 24, 2017.
ICAC enquiries revealed that during the meetings, Ng disclosed to Luen and/or Tse confidential information relating to the police investigations of MBC and GOLDEN, including details of anonymous complaints against MBC received by the Police as well as the Police’s inspections on private clubs in Wan Chai.
Enquiries also revealed that Ng rendered advice or assistance to Luen and Tse so that they could evade inspections and investigations by the Police.
In return, Ng accepted from Luen a total of $570,000 in bribes on five occasions respectively on January 27, May 3, September 6, November 16, 2016 and January 24, 2017, taking $114,000 each time.
The court heard that on January 24, 2017, Tse aided and abetted Luen to offer the bribe of $114,000 to Ng for the same purpose.
The Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Derek Lai and Acting Senior Public Prosecutor Kasmine Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Kienn Tang.
Ng Wai-hon, 54, SP, was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment, while Luen Kei-cheung, 47, and Tse Hoi-kin, 38, both operators of MB Club Mont. Busa (MBC) and GOLDEN, were jailed for 20 months and 12 months respectively.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Li Chi-ho said Ng, as a senior police officer who held confidential information, had abused his position to commit crimes. Hence, he was the most culpable among the defendants in the bribery scam.
The deputy judge also said Luen, who played a bridging role in the case, shared the same culpability as Ng, while Tse played a lesser role in the scam.
The deputy judge ordered Ng to pay the Government a restitution of $219,000, apart from $351,000 being part of the bribes seized from him during the ICAC investigation.
Ng and Luen earlier pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Tse admitted an alternative charge of aiding and abetting another person to offer an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 89 of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, Ng was a SP attached to the Administration and Support (Crime) of Crime Hong Kong Island Regional Headquarters, who was tasked to oversee the operation of its Regional Anti-triad Unit (RATU). Luen and Tse were both operators of MBC and GOLDEN, private clubs in Wan Chai.
In June 2015, the RATU started to investigate MBC for suspected vice activities. In mid-2016, the RATU also started an investigation into GOLDEN after receiving intelligence about its operation. The progress of the investigations was reported to Ng.
The court heard that Ng was seen meeting Luen and/or Tse on 11 occasions and visiting MBC twice between March 31, 2016 and January 24, 2017.
ICAC enquiries revealed that during the meetings, Ng disclosed to Luen and/or Tse confidential information relating to the police investigations of MBC and GOLDEN, including details of anonymous complaints against MBC received by the Police as well as the Police’s inspections on private clubs in Wan Chai.
Enquiries also revealed that Ng rendered advice or assistance to Luen and Tse so that they could evade inspections and investigations by the Police.
In return, Ng accepted from Luen a total of $570,000 in bribes on five occasions respectively on January 27, May 3, September 6, November 16, 2016 and January 24, 2017, taking $114,000 each time.
The court heard that on January 24, 2017, Tse aided and abetted Luen to offer the bribe of $114,000 to Ng for the same purpose.
The Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Derek Lai and Acting Senior Public Prosecutor Kasmine Hui, assisted by ICAC officer Kienn Tang.