District councillor held over 'knife, raid threats'

Yuen Long district councillor Ben Ho Wai-pan has been arrested and charged with criminal intimidation more than a year after he posted a picture of a knife on Facebook to warn gamblers in his neighborhood.

Ho, 31, was released on HK$1,000 cash bail yesterday and the case will be heard on July 22 at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts.

He announced his resignation from the council shortly after his arrest.

"The reason behind my resignation is not because of the oath-taking, but because I want to kick [myself] out and bring in more competent people," Ho said through his team members on Facebook.

He did not comment on his arrest.

Police arrived at his apartment in Tin Shui Wai with a court warrant and arrested Ho at around 6.50am before taking him to the Tin Shui Wai police station. Officers confiscated two computers and a knife similar to the one he posted on Facebook.

They also searched Ho's district council office at Kingswood Richly Plaza, Tin Shui Wai, but left empty-handed.

Ho was arrested after police received an anonymous complaint on March 22 last year, saying they felt worried and scared after reading his post.

In Ho's original post on March 21, 2020, he said he received complaints about people gathering to gamble at Tin Yiu Estate.

He said the group of elderly people was very loud when playing cards yet the management office could not handle the issue.

Ho said would "raid" the area two days later, adding he had all kinds of tools but could not decide what to bring with him. "I have sticks, knives and saws," he said in the post, which came with a picture of a knife.

"Remember! It's me, Ho Wai-pan, who is saying I want to raid the area at Yiu Yat House. I will go there alone and none of my colleagues are allowed to go," he added.

On March 23, 2020, Ho posted a photo of him sitting on a bench, saying the area was "cleared."

When asked why the arrest was made nearly a year and a half after Ho's post, Yuen Long district chief inspector Au Yeung Tak said the investigation process was complicated. He added: "And we sought advice from the Department of Justice twice before deciding to press charges."

Au said there is no need to verify whether the complainant indeed felt intimidated by the post or whether any 'raid' actually happened.

"As long as his actions can make ordinary citizens feel that their personal safety is being threatened, on the basis of legal evidence, it can already constitute an offense," Au Yeung said.

"We respect everyone's freedom of speech, but when [it breaches] legal baselines, we will look into the matter with a 'zero-tolerance' attitude."

Ho's office was closed yesterday. A banner with the words "no gambling" also hangs in the sitting area outside Yiu Yat House.

He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

Ho, who has no political affiliation, won the district council election in 2019. He was previously a member of Neighbourhood and Worker's Service Centre, a party in the pro-democracy camp.

carine.chow@singtaonewscorp.com