Sister-in-law of jailed democrat admits to taking away evidence before police arrival

The sister-in-law of jailed democrat Lee Cheuk-yan pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice on Thursday for taking the phone and laptop from the home of Lee’s wife before police arrived. 

The 63-year-old defendant Marilyn Tang Yin-lee admitted to a count of doing acts with intent to pervert the course of public justice as she appeared before magistrate Tsang Hing-tung at West Kowloon Court today. 

The charge alleged her of entering the home of her sister Elizabeth Tang Yin-ngor in Mei Foo Sun Chuen Phase 4 twice on March 9 and seizing relevant evidence before police arrival. 

Tsang referred to the evidence that Marilyn Tang had entered the Mei Foo home twice and this indicated the offense she had committed was premeditated. Tsang said the case was not mild in nature and imprisonment is the only sentencing option. 

Marilyn Tang is remanded in custody and her sentence will be handed down on December 21, pending a background report. 

The court heard that Elizabeth Tang was arrested by national security police that day and she instructed her lawyer to open the door of her Mei Foo home to Marilyn Tang upon arrival. 

Elizabeth Tang was escorted to the unit at 4.52 pm and after investigation, the police found that Marilyn Tang had entered the unit twice beforehand. The security camera footage showed that Marilyn Tang first entered the unit at 2.24 pm and stayed for more than an hour. 

Marilyn Tang then returned to the unit at 3.43 pm staying for another 41 minutes. Police suspected that Marilyn Tang had taken away some relevant evidence and arrested her two days later. 

Under police caution, Marilyn Tang admitted that after learning of her sister’s arrest, she headed to the Mei Foo home to take away her sister’s phone and laptop. 

In mitigation, the defense said Marilyn Tang was awarded her social work master’s degree in 1987 and has been serving local communities since. 

She committed the offense out of impulse to protect her sister who had just been arrested, the lawyer added. The laptop also only contained some personal information and nothing was directly related to the investigation targeting Elizabeth Tang.