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A police superintendent's appeal against his convictions and sentence for fraudulently obtaining over HK$26 million in mortgages was dismissed in court on Monday.
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The defendant, Chan Hoi-kong, also known as “Hoi-kong Sir,” was found guilty of two counts of fraud for conspiring with a former inspector to obtain loans by failing to disclose his position as a public official during the application process between May and December 2019.
Chan was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, while his co-defendant, Wong Ho-ngai, received sentences of five and six and a half years on separate charges.
By misrepresenting Chan’s employment, the two allegedly secured loans worth approximately HK$21.46 million and HK$4.8 million.
In the appeal, the defense argued that Chan had entrusted an agent to handle the applications and had not reviewed the forms, suggesting the agent might have falsified documents to earn a commission.
However, High Court Judge Keith Yeung Kar-hung dismissed these claims as "not reasonably arguable." He noted that both applications were made with Chan's knowledge and that Chan had failed to clarify discrepancies in his bank statements, occupation, and monthly income.
Yeung agreed with the original trial judge's reasoning that Wong arranged monthly automatic transfers of HK$245,000 labeled "SALARY" to misrepresent Chan’s employment status.
He emphasized the case was not a minor mistake but involved careful planning, with Chan providing bank statements within a short period and submitting false employment documents for the mortgage applications.
The Court of Appeal dismissed both defendants' appeals, ruling the sentences were appropriate—neither too lenient nor excessive—given that Chan's fraud could not have succeeded without Wong's involvement.
