Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption responded to "Wong Yiu-ming arrested this morning": suspected of cheating in the 2018 Legislative Council by-election

Source: World Wide Web

According to Hong Kong's "East Net", former Hong Kong legislator Au Nok Hin and singer Wong Yiu-ming were arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption this morning (2 February) on suspicion of committing fraud in the 2018 Legislative Council election. Just now, the Independent Commission Against Corruption issued a press release saying that it has prosecuted a candidate for the 2018 Legislative Council by-election and a singer for the Hong Kong Island local constituency, accusing them of allegedly committing fraud in the election and providing entertainment to others to induce others to vote for the candidate.

Wong Yiu-ming (left) and Au Nok Xuan (right) infographic

The ICAC said it had earlier received complaints that an investigation had been launched for alleged breaches of the Elections (Fraud and Unlawful Acts) Ordinance, and after seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice, it had sued Au Nok-hwan, 34, a candidate for the 2018 Legislative Council by-election for the Hong Kong Island Local Constituency, and Wong Yiu-ming, 59, a singer.

Au Nok Xuan and Wong Yiu Ming were charged with a fraud in providing entertainment to others during an election, contrary to section 12(1)(a) of the Elections (Fraud and Unlawful Conduct) Ordinance. The duo will respond at the Eastern Magistrates' Court on the 5th.

The charges allege that Au Nok-hin and Wong Yiu-ming were suspected of committing fraud in the Hong Kong Island local constituency in the Legislative Council by-election that year on 3 March 2018, i.e. by providing entertainment to another person to induce the other party to vote for Au Nok-hung in that election, and the entertainment was a singing performance.

The 2018 Legislative Council by-election for the Hong Kong Island Local Constituency was held on 11 March of that year. Au was one of 4 candidates and was elected in the election.

Section 12 of the Elections (Fraud and Unlawful Conduct) Ordinance provides that any person who provides food, drink or entertainment to another person or reimburses all or part of the costs of providing such food, drink or entertainment in order to induce that other person or a third person to vote or not to vote in an election or to a candidate or certain candidates is an act of fraud.

A spokesman for the Independent Commission Against Corruption stressed that providing refreshments and entertainment to others during elections was a serious offence. The ICAC reminds candidates, electoral agents/co-election assistants and the public not to offer food, drink or entertainment in exchange for votes during elections.