Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1391229/police-officer-court-over-alleged-failure-detail-expenses-and-loans
Hong Kong

Police officer in court over alleged failure to detail expenses and loans

A police constable faced court yesterday over undeclared properties, liabilities and expenses - including his purchase of hair transplant treatment and a luxury travel package to Thailand.

In Eastern Court, Chung Hin-lok, 39, pleaded not guilty to failing to complete a form regarding his financial position issued by the anti-graft agency under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance on February 4.

Chung is accused of failing to detail all properties belonging to him, and all expenses incurred by him, his spouse, his parents or children.

He also failed to list all liabilities incurred by him in the three years up to the date the form was issued, it is alleged.

Yesterday, the court did not hear the reasons why the form was issued to the police officer.

Prosecutor Jonathan Lin Po-hei said that on February 4, Deputy High Court Judge Alan Wright granted an order authorising the Independent Commission Against Corruption to issue Chung the form under the bribery ordinance.

The prosecution alleged that two reminder letters were served to Chung at his residence at the police married quarters in Central before he returned the form on March 25 with his hand-written answers.

In the opening submission, Lin read out the various properties, liabilities and expenses that Chung failed to list in the statutory form.

For example, Chung paid Royal Medical Hair Transplant Centre HK$56,260 for his hair transplant treatment. He also omitted his purchase of a HK$39,790 travel package to Phuket for himself and his girlfriend, the prosecution said.

Lin also alleged that Chung did not tell the anti-graft agency about loans totalling HK$797,040 that he extended from various financial institutions.

Defence counsel William Allan said there were no corruption elements to the case, which related only to the form.

The trial will start on Monday.