Otto Poon’s fine for illegal structure less than half the biggest one handed out by Hong Kong courts
- The HK$20,000 fine slapped on the husband of justice minister Teresa Cheng was much lower than the HK$50,000 paid by the wife of former Chief Secretary Henry Tang
- Poon’s swimming pool installed without planning permission was a great deal different to Tang’s complex basement development
The husband of Hong Kong’s justice chief was on Tuesday fined half the amount that was levied in the city’s most high-profile illegal structure case, which involved an “underground palace” at the home of a former government No. 2.
But experts said the HK$20,000 (US$2,500) fine for Otto Poon Lok-to’s illegal swimming pool was appropriate due to the smaller scale and his timely response in removing it after news of the installations came to light.
On Tuesday, Poon was convicted by acting chief magistrate So Wai-tak at West Kowloon Court for building without planning permission a pool that formed an integral structure in his garden.
The HK$20,000 fine was less than half the highest fine the court has handed out for the offence of “knowingly commencing or carrying out building works without obtaining approval from authorities and consent in writing”.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of a HK$400,000 (US$51,000) fine and two years in prison under the Buildings Ordinance.
