CSD Assistant Officer conniving at prisoner’s mobile phone possession MIPO case: trio charged by ICAC receive jail terms up to two years
2025-4-8
The ICAC had earlier charged two Assistant Officers of the Correctional Services Department (CSD), a prisoner and two released prisoners with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office (MIPO) for conniving at the unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone by the prisoner and introducing unauthorised cigarettes into Tong Fuk Correctional Institution (TFCI) for him. Following the guilty pleas and jailing of two of the defendants, the remaining trio, who were convicted after trial, were today (April 8) sentenced at the District Court to jail terms from nine months to two years.
Yeung King-lun, 47, then Assistant Officer I of the CSD, received a jail term of one year and a half; Lau Yin-chun, 32, prisoner, and Cheung Yui-ming, 40, released prisoner, were jailed for two years and nine months respectively.
The trio were earlier found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit MIPO, contrary to the Common Law and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Judge Mrs Adriana Noelle Tse Ching remarked that the possession and use of mobile phones at prisons had posed significant security problems to correctional institutions.
The judge reprimanded Yeung, who was supposed to supervise prisoners as a CSD officer, for treating CSD’s punishment and education purposes as a mockery by committing crimes with prisoners at a prison. By taking active steps in the conspiracy, being a willing servant for prisoners, Yeung’s acts constituted a serious breach of CSD’s trust placed in him.
While Lau was the mastermind of the scam, Lau and Cheung had played different roles to facilitate the illicit activities in the present case, the judge added.
The present case stemmed from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. After investigation, the ICAC took a law enforcement action on October 23, 2020, during which unauthorised articles, including a mobile phone, a mobile phone SIM card and cigarettes of brands which were not available for prisoners to purchase, were seized from Lau, a prisoner of the TFCI.
At the material time, Yeung was an Assistant Officer I of the CSD and the officer-in-charge of TCFI’s Construction and Maintenance Unit. Yeung was responsible for supervising the discipline and activities of prisoners, with the assistance of CSD Assistant Officers II, including Lee Ho-wai. Lau and released prisoners, Cheung and Lam Hon-ki, had been assigned to work in the unit at different times.
In July 2020, Lau asked Yeung to bring a SIM card into the TFCI for him. Yeung kept conniving at Lau’s unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone at prison and Yeung had never reported the incident to his supervisor. At the night prior to the ICAC’s enforcement action, Yeung contacted a telecommunication company to assist Lau to improve signal reception of the SIM card, the court heard.
The ICAC investigation also revealed that Lee, CSD Assistant Officer II, and released prisoners, Cheung and Lam, were members of a mobile phone chat group. The trio had exchanged numerous messages mentioning Lau’s instructions given to Lam for topping up the pre-paid SIM cards of his mobile phone, and reminders to Lee for buying cigarettes of a specific brand which was not available for prisoners to purchase and introduction of those cigarettes to the TFCI for him.
The conduct of CSD officers and prisoners was governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibited CSD officers from conveying any unauthorised article to prisoners. The prosecution had also made it clear at the trial that if prisoners were able to contact the outside world by mobile phones, they could engage in illegal activities or make plans to escape from prison, which would undermine prison security and endanger the public.
Lee and Lam earlier pleaded guilty at the District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit MIPO, and were sentenced to imprisonment of seven months and six months respectively.
The CSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Rosa Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Matt Cheung.
Yeung King-lun, 47, then Assistant Officer I of the CSD, received a jail term of one year and a half; Lau Yin-chun, 32, prisoner, and Cheung Yui-ming, 40, released prisoner, were jailed for two years and nine months respectively.
The trio were earlier found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit MIPO, contrary to the Common Law and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Judge Mrs Adriana Noelle Tse Ching remarked that the possession and use of mobile phones at prisons had posed significant security problems to correctional institutions.
The judge reprimanded Yeung, who was supposed to supervise prisoners as a CSD officer, for treating CSD’s punishment and education purposes as a mockery by committing crimes with prisoners at a prison. By taking active steps in the conspiracy, being a willing servant for prisoners, Yeung’s acts constituted a serious breach of CSD’s trust placed in him.
While Lau was the mastermind of the scam, Lau and Cheung had played different roles to facilitate the illicit activities in the present case, the judge added.
The present case stemmed from a corruption complaint referred by the CSD. After investigation, the ICAC took a law enforcement action on October 23, 2020, during which unauthorised articles, including a mobile phone, a mobile phone SIM card and cigarettes of brands which were not available for prisoners to purchase, were seized from Lau, a prisoner of the TFCI.
At the material time, Yeung was an Assistant Officer I of the CSD and the officer-in-charge of TCFI’s Construction and Maintenance Unit. Yeung was responsible for supervising the discipline and activities of prisoners, with the assistance of CSD Assistant Officers II, including Lee Ho-wai. Lau and released prisoners, Cheung and Lam Hon-ki, had been assigned to work in the unit at different times.
In July 2020, Lau asked Yeung to bring a SIM card into the TFCI for him. Yeung kept conniving at Lau’s unauthorised possession and use of a mobile phone at prison and Yeung had never reported the incident to his supervisor. At the night prior to the ICAC’s enforcement action, Yeung contacted a telecommunication company to assist Lau to improve signal reception of the SIM card, the court heard.
The ICAC investigation also revealed that Lee, CSD Assistant Officer II, and released prisoners, Cheung and Lam, were members of a mobile phone chat group. The trio had exchanged numerous messages mentioning Lau’s instructions given to Lam for topping up the pre-paid SIM cards of his mobile phone, and reminders to Lee for buying cigarettes of a specific brand which was not available for prisoners to purchase and introduction of those cigarettes to the TFCI for him.
The conduct of CSD officers and prisoners was governed by the Prisons Ordinance and the Prison Rules, which prohibited CSD officers from conveying any unauthorised article to prisoners. The prosecution had also made it clear at the trial that if prisoners were able to contact the outside world by mobile phones, they could engage in illegal activities or make plans to escape from prison, which would undermine prison security and endanger the public.
Lee and Lam earlier pleaded guilty at the District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit MIPO, and were sentenced to imprisonment of seven months and six months respectively.
The CSD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Rosa Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Matt Cheung.