Four charged by ICAC in inmates’ sentence reduction plot jailed for one year to over three years
2026-5-29
Four defendants charged by the ICAC, including an inmate of Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre (LCKRC), were sentenced today (May 29) to jail terms ranging from one year to over three years at the District Court for conspiring together to plot two crimes to facilitate sentence reduction applications for two other inmates by tipping off the Police about the planned crimes. Detection and early intervention by the ICAC successfully intercepted these planned crimes involving possession of unlawful arms, explosives or drugs.
Sammy Wong Kok-sum, 41, then inmate of LCKRC, was sentenced to three years and six weeks in prison, while his girlfriend, Lau Chun-yee, 29, received a jail term of 16 months. Kwan Yu-hin, 27; and Wan Chin-pang, 29, associates of Wong, were respectively sentenced to 20 months and one year in jail.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Mr Li Chi-ho remarked that the nature of the offences in this case was serious, involving a considerable amount of money, adding that the two inmates whom the four defendants attempted to assist in obtaining sentence reductions were serious offenders. The judge stressed that the court had to impose immediate custodial sentences on all defendants in this case. In allowing the prosecution’s application, the judge ordered the confiscation of crime proceeds totalling about $900,000 involved in the present case from Lau and Wan.
The four defendants earlier pleaded guilty to a total of four charges – two of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to the Common Law and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; one of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence (commonly known as money laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance; and one of failing to surrender to custody without reasonable cause, contrary to section 9L(1) of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
The case stemmed from a corruption investigation by the ICAC. Between September 2021 and May 2022, Wong was an inmate incarcerated in LCKRC of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) where he met two other inmates who were respectively involved in a robbery case and a dangerous drugs trafficking case. Both cases were pending mention at the High Court at that time.
The court heard that Wong told his girlfriend Lau and other associates that he had devised a plan to stage two crimes for the two inmates to provide relevant information to the Police with a view to leading to successful closure of the cases, and facilitating the two inmates’ applications for sentence reduction in their respective court proceedings. Family members of the two inmates paid Wong $250,000 and $1.25 million respectively.
Upon Wong’s instruction, Lau and Kwan subsequently orchestrated the scam and liaised with the concerned parties. The duo prepared to buy an illegal air gun with high energy output and obtained guide on making explosives to prepare explosives. In addition, they planned to conceal those unlawful articles at a premises and arrange for a scapegoat to be arrested by the Police there. The ICAC’s early intervention successfully stopped the two pre-arranged crimes.
Wan handled a sum of about $320,000, part of the money paid by one of the inmates’ family members for coordinating one of the cases.
On July 8, 2025, Wong failed to attend court for mention and a warrant for his arrest was issued by the District Court. He was subsequently arrested and charged with failing to surrender to custody without reasonable cause.
Another co-defendant Cheng Lok-lam, 26, was also charged with one count of money laundering. She pleaded not guilty to the charge and her case was set for trial on July 6.
The CSD and the Police rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutors Noelle Aileen Chit and Catherine Xiao, assisted by ICAC officers Dirk Cheung and Keith Kwok.
Sammy Wong Kok-sum, 41, then inmate of LCKRC, was sentenced to three years and six weeks in prison, while his girlfriend, Lau Chun-yee, 29, received a jail term of 16 months. Kwan Yu-hin, 27; and Wan Chin-pang, 29, associates of Wong, were respectively sentenced to 20 months and one year in jail.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Mr Li Chi-ho remarked that the nature of the offences in this case was serious, involving a considerable amount of money, adding that the two inmates whom the four defendants attempted to assist in obtaining sentence reductions were serious offenders. The judge stressed that the court had to impose immediate custodial sentences on all defendants in this case. In allowing the prosecution’s application, the judge ordered the confiscation of crime proceeds totalling about $900,000 involved in the present case from Lau and Wan.
The four defendants earlier pleaded guilty to a total of four charges – two of conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to the Common Law and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; one of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence (commonly known as money laundering), contrary to section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance; and one of failing to surrender to custody without reasonable cause, contrary to section 9L(1) of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.
The case stemmed from a corruption investigation by the ICAC. Between September 2021 and May 2022, Wong was an inmate incarcerated in LCKRC of the Correctional Services Department (CSD) where he met two other inmates who were respectively involved in a robbery case and a dangerous drugs trafficking case. Both cases were pending mention at the High Court at that time.
The court heard that Wong told his girlfriend Lau and other associates that he had devised a plan to stage two crimes for the two inmates to provide relevant information to the Police with a view to leading to successful closure of the cases, and facilitating the two inmates’ applications for sentence reduction in their respective court proceedings. Family members of the two inmates paid Wong $250,000 and $1.25 million respectively.
Upon Wong’s instruction, Lau and Kwan subsequently orchestrated the scam and liaised with the concerned parties. The duo prepared to buy an illegal air gun with high energy output and obtained guide on making explosives to prepare explosives. In addition, they planned to conceal those unlawful articles at a premises and arrange for a scapegoat to be arrested by the Police there. The ICAC’s early intervention successfully stopped the two pre-arranged crimes.
Wan handled a sum of about $320,000, part of the money paid by one of the inmates’ family members for coordinating one of the cases.
On July 8, 2025, Wong failed to attend court for mention and a warrant for his arrest was issued by the District Court. He was subsequently arrested and charged with failing to surrender to custody without reasonable cause.
Another co-defendant Cheng Lok-lam, 26, was also charged with one count of money laundering. She pleaded not guilty to the charge and her case was set for trial on July 6.
The CSD and the Police rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutors Noelle Aileen Chit and Catherine Xiao, assisted by ICAC officers Dirk Cheung and Keith Kwok.