A Hong Kong police chief inspector has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for accepting more than HK$1.1 million in cash and gifts from a businessman.
Tsuen Wan Court sentenced 40-year-old Ho Siu-tung on Tuesday on two counts each of accepting advantages as a public servant and misconduct in public office. He accepted bribes from businessman Qu Haipeng between August 2021 and January 2023 in exchange for ending a criminal investigation and disclosing details of two other cases.
Ho admitted becoming Qu’s “private servant” after failing to resist the temptation of quick cash and benefits to sustain a lifestyle beyond his HK$100,000 monthly income. He had been suspended and was previously marked for promotion to superintendent.
Deputy District Judge Terence Wai Hon-hei cited Ho’s supervisor as praising the defendant’s “extraordinary” and “innovative” ideas on crime detection and prevention.
In his mitigation letter, Ho revealed that his mother had died shortly before his conviction and that his wife had initiated divorce proceedings after his arrest.