Appeals rejected for ex-police officers in mortgage fraud case
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The High Court on Thursday dismissed both conviction and sentence appeals filed by former police superintendent Chan Hoi-kong and former chief inspector Wong Ho-ngai. They had earlier been jailed for fraud after a trial over false employment and income claims used to secure more than HK$26 million in loans in 2019.
Key Points
- Justice Pang Wai-cheung announced in the High Court on August 17 that both men's appeals against conviction and sentence were dismissed in case CACC 111/2024.
- Chan Hoi-kong was convicted of two counts of fraud and sentenced to six years and six months, while Wong Ho-ngai was convicted of one count and jailed for five years.
- Prosecutors said the defendants concealed that Chan was a police superintendent and falsely claimed he worked for Outstanding Capital Limited from July to November 2019 on a monthly salary exceeding HK$240,000.
- The false representations were made to Bank of East Asia Limited and OCBC Wing Hang Credit Limited, which approved loans of about HK$21.549 million and HK$4.8 million respectively.
- At the appeal hearing, Chan's counsel argued a mortgage loan agent may have falsified documents for commission, but appellate judges questioned why Chan did not ensure his police salary was disclosed.
Why It Matters
The ruling leaves intact lengthy prison terms for two former officers in a case centred on alleged deception in mortgage lending, closing off their challenge at this stage. For Hong Kong readers, the decision underscores how courts treat false income and employment representations in large-value loan applications, regardless of the applicants' former public positions.