Eight cops tried for allegedly assaulting street sleepers and framing them for drug possession

Eight cops allegedly covered the security cameras, assaulted homeless people in Sham Shui Po, damaged their property with golf clubs, and framed them for possessing drugs, the District Court heard on Tuesday. 

They are Kwok Chin-sing, 30, Hon Ting-kwong, 29, Leung Fei-pang, 29, Pong Chun-sze, 29, sergeant Lam Wah-ka, 44, Mok Chi-shing, 25, Wan Pak-sze, 25, and Chan Sau-yip, 27. It is understood that they were posted to the Sham Shui Po district special duties team and all have been suspended from duty. 

They face a total of 10 charges including misconduct in public office, perverting the course of justice, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and criminal damage. They pleaded not guilty to all charges appearing before judge Kathie Cheung Kit-yee today. 

Senior public prosecutor Kelvin Tang Ming-chung opened the case with a statement that the cops conducted two anti-narcotics operations in Tung Chau Street Park on February 4 and 24, 2020, where two Vietnamese street sleepers Nguyen and late Le Van Muoi were camping at the park’s gazebo and the artificial lake respectively. 

During the Feb. 4 operation, Leung and Pong investigated the gazebo with two other constables who were seen constantly looking at the security camera. The duo talked to each other and Leung attempted to climb the pillar thrice but in vain. Pong then aimed and threw wet tissues at the camera in hope of blocking the lens. 

Security camera footage also showed Kwok and Chan cuffing Nguyen’s hands behind his back and taking him to a bench to question him. Leung suddenly grabbed Nguyen around the neck from behind and dragged him to a sandy area; Kwok and Chan also followed. 

The three cops were caught on camera punching and kicking at Nguyen while Hon checked on his colleagues every now and then. Nguyen was brought out about three minutes later, curling his upper body. He was later hospitalized with a broken rib. 

Footage also showed Lam dragging Le out of his tent by the lake side, and Le – whose hands were empty – was subdued by Mok and Wan. Chan searched Le’s cupboard and found a white object, Wan then received the object from Chan who put it in a black box and then in a transparent plastic bag. Le was subsequently arrested for possessing dangerous drugs. 

During the arrest, Lam and Chan spotted the security camera. Lam approached the camera and Chan covered it with a red plastic bag, which was only removed about 40 minutes later. 

Yet, the notebooks of three of the cops claimed that Mok saw Le holding a black plastic box in his right hand and was about to consume drugs, so they immediately dragged Le out of the tent. They continued that Mok later found a few packets of suspected drugs in that box and Lam informed an inspector to arrest Le. Le was officially charged on March 10, 2020. 

The case was only unveiled after someone had complained on behalf of Nguyen that police damaged the street sleepers' property during the Feb. 24 operation early March the same year.