Hearing adjourned for pro-independence activist and trio accused of defrauding govt loan

A member of pro-independence group Returning Valiant and three others accused of defrauding about HK$4.73 million from the government via a special loan scheme for small and medium enterprises saw their hearing adjourned to next January. 

That member is 23-year-old student Cheung Ho-yeung, and the remaining three defendants are Ho Kwai-hung, 40, Chow Ting-ting, 36, Peter Chow Tsz-lung, 48. 

They appeared before principal magistrate Don So Man-lung in West Kowloon Court on Thursday as they face a count of conspiracy to defraud. 

The charge alleges them of applying and obtaining about HK$4.73 million in various loans from HSBC, Hong Kong Mortgage Corp Ltd, and the SAR government under the SME Special 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme by submitting false information between November 9, 2021 and March 3, 2022. 

The prosecution requested the case be admitted to the District Court while the defense applied for the hearing to be adjourned, pending relevant documents. 

Both applications were granted by magistrate So who scheduled the next hearing on January 11. 

Cheung continued to be remanded in custody in relation to another case. Ho, Chow Ting-ting and Peter Chow were released on bail. The trio must not leave Hong Kong, must hand over their travel documents, live at their reported correspondence and report to a police station every two weeks.