Ex-Police Communications Officer admits soliciting and accepting $613,000 unauthorised loans
2018-10-30
A former Police Communications Officer (PCO), charged by the ICAC, admitted at the Eastern Magistracy today (October 30) that he had solicited and accepted seven unauthorised loans totalling over $613,000 from three then colleagues under various pretexts.
Kwok Foo-wing, 36, pleaded guilty to seven charges of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case until November 16 for sentence, pending background, community service order and financial situation reports, and granted the defendant cash bail.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a PCO attached to the Regional Command and Control Centre of Hong Kong Island Region of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF).
In October 2016, the defendant asked for a loan of $250,000 from a colleague under the pretext that he needed money to settle medical expenses for his father’s cancer treatment. About one month later, the colleague lent him the money.
Between December 1, 2016 and January 2, 2018, the defendant solicited and accepted six loans of $363,600 in total from the same colleague and two other colleagues, claiming that he needed money to move home, settle his father’s medical expenses and gambling debts, and undergo a medical examination for himself.
The defendant, as a prescribed officer, had no special permission of the Chief Executive to solicit and accept those loans, the court was told.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HKPF, which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Wong Tsz-ming.
Kwok Foo-wing, 36, pleaded guilty to seven charges of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case until November 16 for sentence, pending background, community service order and financial situation reports, and granted the defendant cash bail.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a PCO attached to the Regional Command and Control Centre of Hong Kong Island Region of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF).
In October 2016, the defendant asked for a loan of $250,000 from a colleague under the pretext that he needed money to settle medical expenses for his father’s cancer treatment. About one month later, the colleague lent him the money.
Between December 1, 2016 and January 2, 2018, the defendant solicited and accepted six loans of $363,600 in total from the same colleague and two other colleagues, claiming that he needed money to move home, settle his father’s medical expenses and gambling debts, and undergo a medical examination for himself.
The defendant, as a prescribed officer, had no special permission of the Chief Executive to solicit and accept those loans, the court was told.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HKPF, which had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Wong Tsz-ming.