Two people were charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Wednesday with conspiracy to accept a bribe of up to HK$200,000 as inducement to stand in Sunday’s District Council elections.
Thirty-two-year-old renovation worker Ku Ka-ho and merchant Chan Kin-loong, 37, face a joint charge of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct at an election, contravening the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance and Crimes Ordinance.
The charge alleges that between July 12 and August 9, Ku and Chan, together with Anthony Cheng Wing-kin and one other person, conspired for Ku to engage in corrupt conduct by accepting an inducement from Cheng of between HK$150,000 and HK$200,000.
The sum was intended for Ku to persuade Chan to stand as a candidate in a specified geographical constituency. Chan ultimately did not put himself forward as a candidate. Cheng, an online TV host, has previously faced charges of bribery.
The defendants have been released on bail and will appear at the Eastern Magistrates’ Court on Friday afternoon for mention.
Rural Representative Election bribery
On the same day, the ICAC also charged a registered voter in the 2015 Rural Representative Election with accepting a bribe of HK$2,000 for her to vote for a particular candidate and to have her mother vote similarly.
Ho Ching-yi, 27, unemployed, faces two counts of engaging in corrupt conduct at an election.
Ho, an indigenous inhabitant of Wong Nai Tun Tsuen in Shap Pat Heung, Yuen Long, was registered to vote in the 2015 Rural Representative (Indigenous Inhabitant Representative) Election for Wong Nai Tun. She has been released on bail and will appear at Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for plea.
