A 43-year-old former bank employee has been charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) for allegedly disclosing to a family member that he was under investigation. The case will be heard at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday.
The defendant, Lau Shui-ngo, a former customer services manager at Chiyu Banking Corporation Limited, faces one count of disclosing the identity of a person being investigated. She has been granted bail and is scheduled to enter a plea tomorrow.
In late January last year, the ICAC requested account information from Chiyu Bank in connection with an ongoing investigation. The account, opened at the bank’s To Kwa Wan branch, became known to Lau after the ICAC’s request letter was forwarded to the branch in early February.
At the time, Lau was responsible for handling law enforcement inquiries and was authorized to review such correspondence. She subsequently learned that the account holder was one of her family members.
The ICAC letter stated that the request and its contents were confidential and warned that unauthorized disclosure could constitute an offense under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
According to the charge, between February and July 2025, Lau, knowing or suspecting that an ICAC investigation into an alleged or suspected offense under the ordinance was ongoing, disclosed to a family member that the latter was the subject of the investigation without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
The ICAC reminded the public that anyone who unlawfully discloses details of an investigation or the identity of a person under investigation may face up to one year in prison and a fine of HK$25,000.
