Duo charged by ICAC admit using false overseas driving licences to apply for direct issuance of HK driving licences without taking tests
2025-11-21
The ICAC charged eight men this week for allegedly deceiving the Transport Department (TD) into directly issuing Hong Kong driving licences to them without taking local driving tests by making false representations that they were holders of driving licences issued by a recognised country. Two of the defendants today (November 21) pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts.
Ong Jomari Perfinan, 27; Ahmed Waseem, 47, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law.
Magistrate Miss Minnie Wat Lai-man adjourned the cases to December 5 for sentence, pending background reports, and remanded the duo in custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The offences were revealed in an ICAC investigation stemming from a corruption complaint.
Under the arrangement of “direct issue of a Hong Kong Full Driving Licence without test”, the TD would directly issue a Hong Kong Full Driving Licence to a holder of a driving licence issued by one of the recognised countries and places, including Pakistan, without taking a local driving test.
The court heard that the two defendants had taken the driving test of the TD but failed. The duo subsequently applied to the TD for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence without test, with the use of their Pakistani driving licences, inducing the TD to grant driving licences to them.
The ICAC investigation revealed that Pakistani transport authority had never issued the Pakistani driving licences held by the duo.
The six other defendants, namely Ibrahim Muhammad, Khan Usman, Khan Mushed, Singh Dawinder Dip, Falaq-sher and Basmer Hatim Hassan Awadh, aged between 21 and 28, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud. They did not enter plea when they appeared at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today for mention in separate cases. The cases were adjourned to dates between January 14 and February 6 next year for mention, and the six defendants were granted bail.
The TD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases, and immediately cancelled the Hong Kong driving licences of the eight defendants following the ICAC’s enforcement actions in 2023.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Samuel Wong.
Ong Jomari Perfinan, 27; Ahmed Waseem, 47, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law.
Magistrate Miss Minnie Wat Lai-man adjourned the cases to December 5 for sentence, pending background reports, and remanded the duo in custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The offences were revealed in an ICAC investigation stemming from a corruption complaint.
Under the arrangement of “direct issue of a Hong Kong Full Driving Licence without test”, the TD would directly issue a Hong Kong Full Driving Licence to a holder of a driving licence issued by one of the recognised countries and places, including Pakistan, without taking a local driving test.
The court heard that the two defendants had taken the driving test of the TD but failed. The duo subsequently applied to the TD for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence without test, with the use of their Pakistani driving licences, inducing the TD to grant driving licences to them.
The ICAC investigation revealed that Pakistani transport authority had never issued the Pakistani driving licences held by the duo.
The six other defendants, namely Ibrahim Muhammad, Khan Usman, Khan Mushed, Singh Dawinder Dip, Falaq-sher and Basmer Hatim Hassan Awadh, aged between 21 and 28, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud. They did not enter plea when they appeared at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today for mention in separate cases. The cases were adjourned to dates between January 14 and February 6 next year for mention, and the six defendants were granted bail.
The TD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases, and immediately cancelled the Hong Kong driving licences of the eight defendants following the ICAC’s enforcement actions in 2023.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Samuel Wong.