Solicitor is jailed 12 months for trying to silence complaints

A solicitor has been jailed for conspiring with a securities broker to pervert the course of justice by instructing one of her clients to withdraw complaints to the Securities and Futures Commission.

Deputy District Court Judge Timothy Casewell sentenced Emily Ha Pon-lin, 40, to 12 months in prison after she was convicted of one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Broker Ng Ting-shag, 56, was jailed for 14 months after previously pleading guilty to nine counts of stealing stocks valued at more than HK$530,000 from his clients and one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He is the father of TVB sports anchor Ng Ka-him.

The court heard that in October 2002, an investor decided to transfer shares of Hutchison Whampoa and Guangzhou Investment to her daughter, Angel Lai. But in 2004, Ms Lai and her mother filed a complaint to the police and the Securities and Futures Commission saying Ng had stolen the shares and given them only the certificates. Ng pleaded with them to let him go.

Ha, who was Ms Lai's legal representative, asked her to tell a different story to the police and the commission, and withdraw the complaints. She said Ng would pay HK$163,000 and legal costs.

The court heard that Ng stole the shares after encountering financial difficulties due to the 1997 financial turmoil and internet stocks slump in 2000. He has paid back nearly HK$518,000 since his arrest last year.