Trio guilty of bribery at 2015 DC Election
2016-10-24
A waiter and two other persons, charged by the ICAC, were today (October 24) convicted at the District Court of conspiracy to accept a bribe up to $200,000 for getting one of them to stand as a candidate at the 2015 District Council (DC) Election, while the waiter was also found guilty of offering at least $850,000 as bribes to five other persons for getting candidates to stand at the election.
Cheng Wing-kin, 32, waiter, Ku Ka-ho, 33, renovation worker, and Chan Kin-loong, 38, merchant, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct at an election, contrary to Section 7(1)(g) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Cheng alone was also convicted of six counts of engaging in corrupt conduct at an election, contrary to Section 7(1)(a) or Section 7(1)(c) of the ECICO.
Judge Pang Chung-ping adjourned the case to this Wednesday (October 26) for sentence. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that the 2015 DC Election was held on November 22, 2015, with its nomination period running from October 2 to 15.
On July 12 and 19, 2015, Cheng met with Ku, founder of All People Spontaneous (APS), Chan, member of APS, and another member of APS.
During the meetings, they conspired together for Ku to accept from Cheng a sum of money between $150,000 and $200,000 to get Chan to stand as a candidate at a specified constituency of the election.
When they met again on August 9, Cheng claimed that as the election proposal prepared by APS was not good enough, he eventually only paid $36,000 in cash to Ku.
The court heard that on July 12, 2015, Wong Hok-lai of Sha Tin Community Network and Tsang Ka-lam of Shatin New Alliance of the Pragmatic met with Cheng upon the latter’s invitation.
At the meeting, Cheng offered $200,000 to Wong Hok-lai and an unspecified sum of money to Tsang for Wong Hok-lai himself and Tsang to get a third person to stand as candidates at Lee On Constituency, Tai Shui Hang Constituency or On Tai Constituency in Sha Tin District.
While the requests were turned down, Cheng contacted Wong Hok-lai again and offered him $200,000 to get a third person to stand as a candidate at Lee On Constituency or another constituency outside Sha Tin District. Wong Hok-lai did not accede to Cheng’s suggestion.
The court heard that at a meeting with Wong Chun-yeung of Tung Chung Future on August 10, 2015, Cheng showed him a paper penned with about 20 constituencies, including Lai Kok Constituency in Sham Shui Po District, Lei Tung I and Lei Tung II Constituencies in Southern District, and Hung Hom Constituency in Kowloon City District.
Cheng offered $150,000 to Wong Chun-yeung for him to stand as a candidate in the some 20 constituencies. Wong Chun-yeung, however, did not accede to Cheng’s proposal.
The court heard that on August 17, 2015, Cheng met with a representative of Youngspiration. During the meeting, Cheng proposed to offer $150,000 to the representative of Youngspiration for him to get a third person to stand as a candidate at a specified constituency to be chosen from a pool of about 30 to 40 constituencies. The offer was declined.
On July 29, 2015, Cheng told Lee Man-ho of Cheung Sha Wan Community Establishment Power that a consortium was willing to offer $150,000 for Lee to stand as a candidate in one of the some 20 constituencies listed. Lee declined the offer, the court was told.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jonathan Man and Senior Public Prosecutor Samantha Chiu, and assisted by ICAC officer Vani Wan.
Cheng Wing-kin, 32, waiter, Ku Ka-ho, 33, renovation worker, and Chan Kin-loong, 38, merchant, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct at an election, contrary to Section 7(1)(g) of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Cheng alone was also convicted of six counts of engaging in corrupt conduct at an election, contrary to Section 7(1)(a) or Section 7(1)(c) of the ECICO.
Judge Pang Chung-ping adjourned the case to this Wednesday (October 26) for sentence. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that the 2015 DC Election was held on November 22, 2015, with its nomination period running from October 2 to 15.
On July 12 and 19, 2015, Cheng met with Ku, founder of All People Spontaneous (APS), Chan, member of APS, and another member of APS.
During the meetings, they conspired together for Ku to accept from Cheng a sum of money between $150,000 and $200,000 to get Chan to stand as a candidate at a specified constituency of the election.
When they met again on August 9, Cheng claimed that as the election proposal prepared by APS was not good enough, he eventually only paid $36,000 in cash to Ku.
The court heard that on July 12, 2015, Wong Hok-lai of Sha Tin Community Network and Tsang Ka-lam of Shatin New Alliance of the Pragmatic met with Cheng upon the latter’s invitation.
At the meeting, Cheng offered $200,000 to Wong Hok-lai and an unspecified sum of money to Tsang for Wong Hok-lai himself and Tsang to get a third person to stand as candidates at Lee On Constituency, Tai Shui Hang Constituency or On Tai Constituency in Sha Tin District.
While the requests were turned down, Cheng contacted Wong Hok-lai again and offered him $200,000 to get a third person to stand as a candidate at Lee On Constituency or another constituency outside Sha Tin District. Wong Hok-lai did not accede to Cheng’s suggestion.
The court heard that at a meeting with Wong Chun-yeung of Tung Chung Future on August 10, 2015, Cheng showed him a paper penned with about 20 constituencies, including Lai Kok Constituency in Sham Shui Po District, Lei Tung I and Lei Tung II Constituencies in Southern District, and Hung Hom Constituency in Kowloon City District.
Cheng offered $150,000 to Wong Chun-yeung for him to stand as a candidate in the some 20 constituencies. Wong Chun-yeung, however, did not accede to Cheng’s proposal.
The court heard that on August 17, 2015, Cheng met with a representative of Youngspiration. During the meeting, Cheng proposed to offer $150,000 to the representative of Youngspiration for him to get a third person to stand as a candidate at a specified constituency to be chosen from a pool of about 30 to 40 constituencies. The offer was declined.
On July 29, 2015, Cheng told Lee Man-ho of Cheung Sha Wan Community Establishment Power that a consortium was willing to offer $150,000 for Lee to stand as a candidate in one of the some 20 constituencies listed. Lee declined the offer, the court was told.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jonathan Man and Senior Public Prosecutor Samantha Chiu, and assisted by ICAC officer Vani Wan.