Woman sentenced for breaching ECICO by inciting others not to vote at LegCo Election
2026-2-25
A woman charged by the ICAC was today (February 25) sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, after admitting at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that she had reposted an online post which incited others not to vote at the 2025 Legislative Council General Election (LegCo Election) during the election period.
Bonney Ma Wai-ling, 61, housewife, today pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person not to vote by activity in public during election period, contrary to section 27A(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Peter Yu Chun-cheung remarked that the LegCo Election concerned the well-being of all Hong Kong citizens. The offence committed by the defendant was serious in nature which had undermined the interests of the society as a whole. Even if the defendant did not think carefully before reposting the post, the court could not ignore the serious consequences resulting from her reposting. The magistrate meted out a suspended sentence, having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The 2025 LegCo Election was open for nominations from October 24, 2025. According to the ECICO, the period between that day and the polling day (December 7, 2025) was the “election period” of the election.
The court heard that during the election period, the defendant reposted on her social media page a post which incited another person not to vote at the 2025 LegCo Election. The post was originally published by Tong Wai-hung on his personal social media page during the election period which called on others to boycott the LegCo Election.
A warrant for the arrest of Tong, who had left Hong Kong, was earlier issued by a Magistrate upon the ICAC’s application.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Francis Tsang.
Bonney Ma Wai-ling, 61, housewife, today pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person not to vote by activity in public during election period, contrary to section 27A(1)(a) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Peter Yu Chun-cheung remarked that the LegCo Election concerned the well-being of all Hong Kong citizens. The offence committed by the defendant was serious in nature which had undermined the interests of the society as a whole. Even if the defendant did not think carefully before reposting the post, the court could not ignore the serious consequences resulting from her reposting. The magistrate meted out a suspended sentence, having considered the defendant’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
The 2025 LegCo Election was open for nominations from October 24, 2025. According to the ECICO, the period between that day and the polling day (December 7, 2025) was the “election period” of the election.
The court heard that during the election period, the defendant reposted on her social media page a post which incited another person not to vote at the 2025 LegCo Election. The post was originally published by Tong Wai-hung on his personal social media page during the election period which called on others to boycott the LegCo Election.
A warrant for the arrest of Tong, who had left Hong Kong, was earlier issued by a Magistrate upon the ICAC’s application.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Francis Tsang.