A police officer was found guilty on Friday of indecently assaulting a suspect in a police station bathroom, while an off-duty policeman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly molesting a 21-year-old female beer promoter.
The plain-clothed Crime Investigation Department officer appeared at the Eastern Magistrates’ Court and was found guilty of misconduct in public office and indecent assault. He was found to have molested a mainland Chinese doctor at the ladies’ washroom in Wan Chai Police Station this January under the guise of conducting a body search.
Kong Ho-wan, 26, said in a police interview that the victim, who had been arrested on suspicion of theft, asked to use the bathroom and then sent him provocative glances. He then touched her breasts. Kong said that the victim smiled and asked in Mandarin, “Do you want to get together?”.
The judge said that the defendant had abused his powers, violated regulations and damaged the police force’s reputation in the minds of the public.
Off-duty policeman accused
Meanwhile, in a separate incident on July 17, a 54-year-old Community Relations Officer at Kowloon City Police Station was drinking with friends at a restaurant in Mong Kok when he allegedly molested a beer salesgirl by stroking her back and touching her armpits. The victim then called the police.
The group had left the restaurant by the time the police arrived but upon investigation it was found that the accused was a off-duty policeman.
As the incident involved a police officer, the West Kowloon Crime Unit took over the case. The police, after seeking legal opinion, arrested the officer in Kowloon City on Thursday and officially charged him with indecent assault. The accused will appear in court next Wednesday at the Kwun Tong Magistracy.
The police said that they attach great importance to an officer’s virtues and that they will not tolerate any sort of misconduct.
