Man charged for sharing anti-voting post; court issues warrant to hunt author Wong Sai-chak

A 38-year-old man was charged by the ICAC on Tuesday for allegedly reposting an online post that incited others to boycott the coming District Councils election on Sunday. A warrant has also been issued by a magistrate for the arrest of the author of the original post – news commentator Wong Sai-chak. 

Defendant Man Wing-fung, an analyst programmer, faces one count of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person not to vote by activity in public during election period. He will be brought to Fanling Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon for a plea. 

Man allegedly displayed on his personal social media page on October 31 an online post that incited others not to vote on Sunday’s election. 

The ICAC investigation revealed that Man's online post was a repost originally published by Wong on two social media platforms during the election period. The online post contained a hyperlink to a live video which Wong broadcast on a social media channel, inciting others not to vote at the election. 

ICAC forwarded the findings of the investigation to the Department of Justice for legal advice and charged Man this morning. 

As Wong had already left Hong Kong, a warrant for his arrest was issued by a magistrate upon the application made to the court by the ICAC. 

Wong is also known under his YouTuber name of Martin Oei and is now based in Germany. He was once a part-time lecturer for the Department of Government and Public Administration at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. 

Wong faces three counts of engaging in illegal conduct to incite another person not to vote by activity in public during election period. He allegedly displayed on three social media platforms the video and two posts which incited others not to vote at the election. 

The ICAC reminded the public that the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance has extraterritorial effect and applies to all conduct concerning an election, be it engaged within Hong Kong or elsewhere. 

The anti-graft watchdog also urged citizens to  abide by the law and not to engage in illegal appeals or repost any unlawful content in order to uphold a fair and clean election.