• 11/25/2024

Hong Kong police chief inspector charged with accepting HK$1.14m bribe

Hong Kong Free Press

Ho Siu-tung ICAC

A Hong Kong police chief inspector and his wife have been charged by the city’s anti-corruption watchdog in a bribery case involving more than HK$1.14 million. The officer is also accused of misconduct in public office by leaking internal information.

Ho Siu-tung speaks in a police press conference in January 2018. Photo: Police Facebook screenshot.
Ho Siu-tung speaks in a police press conference in January 2018. Photo: Police Facebook screenshot.

Chief Inspector Ho Siu-tung, 38, was charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) with two counts of being a “public servant accepting an advantage.” He also faces three charges of misconduct in public office.

His 36-year-old wife, Mishell Ho, was charged with one count of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a public servant to accept advantages.”

The ICAC said that between August 2021 and January 2023, Ho, who was a chief inspector in Wan Chai District, had accepted cash and gifts totalling more than HK$1.14 million from a merchant.

Ho, who oversaw criminal investigations conducted by the district anti-triad unit and district crime squad, was said to have met the merchant when handling a deception case. The merchant was tied to a separate assault case, the ICAC said.

ICAC
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

The alleged bribe was made in two cash payments of HK$500,000 each. The merchant also allegedly sent gifts worth more than HK$140,000, part of which was accepted by Ho’s wife.

The anti-graft watchdog said the alleged payments and gifts were an inducement to or a reward for Ho to “remain favourably disposed to the merchant while performing his official duties” during two criminal investigations involving the merchant.

The ICAC also alleged that between September 2021 and October 2022, Ho had divulged police internal information to the merchant and “remained favourably disposed to the merchant and his friends during police investigations.”

“Such police internal information included personal data of suspects and of other individuals involved in the investigations,” said a statement from the ICAC released on Thursday.

Ho Siu-tung speaks in a police press conference in August 2022, Photo: Hong Kong Police Facebook screenshot.
Ho Siu-tung speaks in a police press conference in August 2022, Photo: Hong Kong Police Facebook screenshot.

The pair were released on ICAC bail and will appear at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday for mention. Their case is set to be transferred to the District Court.

Police told HKFP on Thursday that Ho had been suspended and the force would not comment on the case because legal procedures had begun.

“The Police Force places great importance on the integrity of its personnel. Any individual found to have committed illegal acts will not be tolerated or excused, and will be dealt with seriously,” a spokesperson said.

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https://hongkongfp.com/2024/09/05/hong-kong-police-chief-inspector-charged-with-accepting-hk1-14m-bribe/