HK doctor faces expanded charges over 12,000 fake vaccine exemptions

A Hong Kong private doctor accused of improperly issuing more than 12,000 COVID-19 vaccine exemption certificates stood trial in the District Court on Monday as prosecutors sought to significantly expand the charges against her.

The case was adjourned to Tuesday (May 13) as the judge considered the application.

Annie Choi Suk-mui, 66, originally faced 16 counts of access to computer with a dishonest intent to deceive and one count of money laundering. 

Prosecutors on Monday asked to add a new charge of "access to computer with dishonest intent to deceive” that would cover all 12,768 exemptions she allegedly issued to 11,628 individuals between January 2022 and September 2022.

The original 16 courts will be revised as alternative charges to the newly added one.

Among the alleged issuance, 12,749 certificates cited "vaccine phobia", which prosecutors argued was not a valid medical justification.

Prosecutors also applied to amend the amount involved in the money laundering charge from HK$758,020 from transactions with 570 individuals to HK$570,000, involving 423 individuals.

Deputy District Judge Katherine Lo Kit-yee said she needed time to review the prosecution's request and adjourned the case to Tuesday afternoon.

The prosecution argued that while they would only call 15 patients to testify, these cases demonstrated a clear pattern of behavior. "It would be impossible to call all 10,000-plus individuals," prosecutors noted, adding that Choi allegedly used the same computer system repeatedly to help people avoid vaccination requirements. 

The defense strongly objected to the expanded charges, arguing that the original case focused on whether exemptions for just 15 specific patients were medically justified.

They contended that suddenly applying charges covering thousands of cases based on just 15 examples "unfairly magnifies the allegations a thousand-fold" and leaves them insufficient time to prepare a proper defense.

The defense warned that if the court allows the expanded charges, they may need to contact additional patients from among the thousands who received exemptions to testify, a process that would require significant additional time.

Choi was originally accused of dishonestly accessing the Hospital Authority's computer system between June 4 and September 3, 2022. 

Her husband, 64-year-old retiree Pak Wai-hung, and she jointly faced six counts of money laundering for handling crime proceeds totaling approximately HK$6.9 million held in multiple Citibank accounts between July and September 2022.

Choi is among seven private doctors investigated for allegedly abusing the exemption system during the pandemic.

Six were arrested, while one remains at large. At least two have been formally charged. 

(Ayra Wang)