A trafficker who lured five Hongkongers to Myanmar's KK Park under the pretext of employment has lost his appeal against his conviction and 56-month sentence.
The 32-year-old appellant, Ma Che-hou, was previously convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering between 2021 and 2022.
The court heard Ma lured five male victims, aged 20 to 32, to Southeast Asia with promises of high-paying jobs, business opportunities, or online romance, where some suffered abuse, including electric shocks, during captivity.
Having received a cumulative sentence of seven years, Ma filed an appeal against his fraud conviction, which carried four years and eight months behind bars.
However, the High Court's Appeal Court this morning rejected the application, stating the sentence from the District Court was considered appropriate for human trafficking cases.
The verdict also cited Ma's participation in the recruitment of victims overseas and his contact with other conspirators, which proved his involvement in the scheme from the start to gain profit.
Given the seriousness of the case, the court called it fortunate that the defendant's sentence was capped by the District Court's seven-year limit.
The court agreed with the original judge to treat the human trafficking and forced labor elements as aggravating factors, dismissing the appeal.
