Family of four charged by ICAC for alleged voting offence at 2023 Rural Ordinary Election
2025-1-14
The ICAC yesterday (January 13) charged four members of the same family for alleged vote-rigging at the 2023 Rural Ordinary Election – Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in Yuen Long. The four defendants allegedly voted at the election, although they knew they were not entitled to do so, while two of them made false representation about living in the village to an electoral registration officer.
The defendants, aged between 35 and 71, are Ng Tung and Wong Yuet-ho, husband and wife; and their two daughter and son, Ng Yee-ki and Ng Ka-hung. Each of them faces one count of voting at the election knowing that they are not entitled to do so, contrary to section 16(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
Ng Tung and his son Ng Ka-hung also each face one count of making false statement to an electoral registration officer, contrary to section 32(1)(c) of Electoral Affairs Commission (Registration of Electors) (Rural Representative Election) Regulation.
The defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (January 15) for plea.
The ICAC investigation arose from a complaint alleging vote-rigging at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in breach of the ECICO.
The 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen was held on January 8, 2023. Pursuant to the Rural Representative Election Ordinance, an eligible elector must be a resident of a village for the three years immediately before the date of application for registration as an elector (the “three-year requirement”). A registered elector would be disqualified from voting if one had ceased to meet the “three-year requirement”.
The charges allege that on January 8, 2023, the four defendants engaged in corrupt conduct at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen by voting at the election, knowing that they were not entitled to do so.
It is also alleged that on May 23, 2023, Ng Tung and Ng Ka-hung each made a false statement to an electoral registration officer inquiring into the duo’s information registered in a provisional register that they lived in Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in the past three years.
The ICAC investigation revealed that since 2007, Ng Tung and the three co-defendants had been residing in a flat of a private estate in Tai Po. The four defendants were not eligible to vote at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen as they did not meet the “three-year requirement”.
The Home Affairs Department rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds members of the public to ensure that they are eligible to vote at an election when applying for voter registration or before casting their votes; otherwise, they may be subject to “vote-rigging” related offences. Anyone who votes at an election knowing that they are not entitled to do so constitutes a corrupt conduct. The ICAC will take resolute enforcement actions in accordance with the ECICO to safeguard a fair and clean election.
The defendants, aged between 35 and 71, are Ng Tung and Wong Yuet-ho, husband and wife; and their two daughter and son, Ng Yee-ki and Ng Ka-hung. Each of them faces one count of voting at the election knowing that they are not entitled to do so, contrary to section 16(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
Ng Tung and his son Ng Ka-hung also each face one count of making false statement to an electoral registration officer, contrary to section 32(1)(c) of Electoral Affairs Commission (Registration of Electors) (Rural Representative Election) Regulation.
The defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (January 15) for plea.
The ICAC investigation arose from a complaint alleging vote-rigging at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in breach of the ECICO.
The 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen was held on January 8, 2023. Pursuant to the Rural Representative Election Ordinance, an eligible elector must be a resident of a village for the three years immediately before the date of application for registration as an elector (the “three-year requirement”). A registered elector would be disqualified from voting if one had ceased to meet the “three-year requirement”.
The charges allege that on January 8, 2023, the four defendants engaged in corrupt conduct at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen by voting at the election, knowing that they were not entitled to do so.
It is also alleged that on May 23, 2023, Ng Tung and Ng Ka-hung each made a false statement to an electoral registration officer inquiring into the duo’s information registered in a provisional register that they lived in Ha Pak Nai Tsuen in the past three years.
The ICAC investigation revealed that since 2007, Ng Tung and the three co-defendants had been residing in a flat of a private estate in Tai Po. The four defendants were not eligible to vote at the 2023 Resident Representative Election for Ha Pak Nai Tsuen as they did not meet the “three-year requirement”.
The Home Affairs Department rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds members of the public to ensure that they are eligible to vote at an election when applying for voter registration or before casting their votes; otherwise, they may be subject to “vote-rigging” related offences. Anyone who votes at an election knowing that they are not entitled to do so constitutes a corrupt conduct. The ICAC will take resolute enforcement actions in accordance with the ECICO to safeguard a fair and clean election.