FEHD Foreman charged by ICAC with MIPO for allegedly issuing five unaccountable littering penalty notices
2026-8-4
The ICAC today (August 4) charged a Foreman of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) with misconduct in public office (MIPO) for allegedly issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for littering unaccountably against five citizens. Consequently, the five persons were pursued for baseless fines and faced arrest warrants issued by the court. Some of them were not even in Hong Kong at the time of the alleged violations.
Lo Yui, 41, faces five counts of MIPO, contrary to the Common Law. He was released on bail while the case is scheduled for mention at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (August 6). The prosecution will apply to transfer the case to the District Court for plea.
Following a corruption complaint referred by the FEHD, the ICAC launched an investigation and revealed the above offences. At the material time, the defendant was a Foreman posted to the Dedicated Enforcement Team under the FEHD’s Sham Shui Po District Environmental Hygiene Office. His primary duty involved issuing FPNs on the spot to persons caught littering, spitting, etc. in public places in accordance with the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance.
If offenders fail to pay the fixed penalty of $3,000 within the specified period, the FEHD may apply for court orders compelling payment. The court may then issue arrest warrants against such offenders, bringing them before the court to follow up on the penalties.
The charges allege that between December 2023 and February 2024, the defendant, in the course of his public office, wilfully misconducted himself without reasonable excuse or justification by issuing five FPNs to record five individuals, who had previously received FPNs from the defendant, for alleged littering in public places again, despite the fact that none of them had committed such offences and the FPNs had not been properly issued to them.
The ICAC investigation discovered that the defendant had issued FPNs to the five individuals between 2021 and 2022. It is suspected that the defendant used the relevant particulars to reissue FPNs to the five individuals. As they were unaware that FPNs had been issued against them, they did not pay the fines as required by law. Consequently, they were subsequently ordered by the court to pay the fines or faced arrest warrants. One of them was arrested and appeared before the court for mention.
The FEHD referred the case to the ICAC after relevant irregularities were revealed in an internal investigation, and rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lo Yui, 41, faces five counts of MIPO, contrary to the Common Law. He was released on bail while the case is scheduled for mention at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (August 6). The prosecution will apply to transfer the case to the District Court for plea.
Following a corruption complaint referred by the FEHD, the ICAC launched an investigation and revealed the above offences. At the material time, the defendant was a Foreman posted to the Dedicated Enforcement Team under the FEHD’s Sham Shui Po District Environmental Hygiene Office. His primary duty involved issuing FPNs on the spot to persons caught littering, spitting, etc. in public places in accordance with the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance.
If offenders fail to pay the fixed penalty of $3,000 within the specified period, the FEHD may apply for court orders compelling payment. The court may then issue arrest warrants against such offenders, bringing them before the court to follow up on the penalties.
The charges allege that between December 2023 and February 2024, the defendant, in the course of his public office, wilfully misconducted himself without reasonable excuse or justification by issuing five FPNs to record five individuals, who had previously received FPNs from the defendant, for alleged littering in public places again, despite the fact that none of them had committed such offences and the FPNs had not been properly issued to them.
The ICAC investigation discovered that the defendant had issued FPNs to the five individuals between 2021 and 2022. It is suspected that the defendant used the relevant particulars to reissue FPNs to the five individuals. As they were unaware that FPNs had been issued against them, they did not pay the fines as required by law. Consequently, they were subsequently ordered by the court to pay the fines or faced arrest warrants. One of them was arrested and appeared before the court for mention.
The FEHD referred the case to the ICAC after relevant irregularities were revealed in an internal investigation, and rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.