Hong Kong pastor admits ‘inappropriate’ behaviour after church-goer calls him ‘monster’ over sexual harassment claims

A Hong Kong pastor has admitted that he behaved “inappropriately” after a woman accused him on social media of abusing his position as a father figure among church-goers to sexually harass them.

Ngai Lap-yin, who was fired two months ago from the Brotherly Love Swatow Baptist Church in Tsz Wan Shan, confessed on Friday night that he had harmed “sisters” from his church and said he regretted his behaviour.

He told the Christian Times – a widely read publication among the city’s religious community – that he had made mistakes and already reported the “serious matter” to police on Thursday night, accompanied by another pastor.

To express his regret, Ngai said he was willing to stand trial in court. He was first suspended by the church for two weeks in May before eventually being fired in the same month, he added.

The pastor made the confession after Facebook user Lai Siu-mei posted that Ngai, a “monster”, would build father-daughter relations with women from his church before making his overtures.