Mastermind of bomb plot on police jailed nearly 24 years

Eunice Lam

The mastermind behind a bomb plot during a December 2019 Human Rights Day march has been jailed for nearly 24 years as six other defendants involved in the city's first anti-terrorism case have been handed stiff sentences.

Technician Ng Chi-hung, 28, was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months by High Court Judge Judianna Barnes Wai-ling for planning to set bombs and use firearms targeting police and inviting the leader of radical protest group "Dragon Slaying Brigade," Wong Chun-keung, to join the conspiracy.

Wong, 26, a prosecution witness, was jailed for 13 years and six months.

Other defendants included gunman David Su, 23, Ng's teammate and bomb maker Eddie Pang Kwan-ho, 33, firearms and bomb deliveryman Chan Yuk-lung, 27, and bomb designer Choi Hoi-ming, 26.

The six pleaded guilty in February for charges including "conspiring to bomb prescribed objects" under the anti-terrorism law, conspiring to murder, aiding and abetting to cause an explosion, and possession of arms and ammunition.

Defendants also included Lai Chun-pong, 33, who was the only one convicted in August after a trial. He was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months yesterday.

Su was sentenced to 12 years, Pang to 10 years, Chan to nine years, and Choi to five years and 10 months.

The plot involved an eight-kilogram bomb and a two-kg bomb, with the larger one found to contain nails and estimated to have a blast radius of 400 meters, and a gunner responsible for randomly firing shots from above during a march on December 8, 2019.

Barnes slammed the viciousness of the "well-planned" bomb plot, which targeted to kill police officers and create social panic.

"The viciousness of the plot was beggaring description," she said.

She said Ng had planned the plot, that he had recruited people, secured firearms and ammunition, was actively involved in the conspiracy, arranged military training and tests, and even made bombs himself.

She said Ng's viciousness was "staggering and shocking" that he even put nails in the bombs to make them more destructive. He did not feel remorseful for his crime, Barnes said, and only pleaded guilty as he knew that Wong would testify against him.

Ng was sentenced to a total of 23 years and 10 months for his one count of conspiring to commit the bombing of prescribed objects and one count of possession of arms or ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Barnes accepted Wong's claim that he was not the mastermind of the plot and he did not handle the firearms, but that he had invited his brigade members to join the conspiracy.

She added Wong had spread some inciting and untrue messages to raise money for the plot, but used part of the fund for his benefit.

Considering Ng had pleaded guilty following Wong's guilty plea and the latter had testified against other defendants as a prosecution witness, his sentence had been halved. He netted 13 years and six months for his two charges.

Barnes also mentioned the six defendants who were acquitted after a trial, that although the jury could not ensure they participated in the conspiracy, their destructive behavior during the 2019 protests was obvious to the public.

The case involved 14 people, with 10 of them being charged under the United Nations anti-terrorism ordinance - the first time since its enactment in 2022.

Seven of them denied the charges and stood trial from April to August, and six were acquitted by a nine-people jury.

But among the acquitted, Cheung Chun-fu, 24, was sentenced to an 18-month jail term in August for one count of possession of explosives and one count of possession of arms without license, for which he pleaded guilty in February.

Su's girlfriend, Chung Suet-ying, 33, was jailed seven years and four months for possession of arms without a license.

Speaking to reporters outside the High Court, Steve Li Kwai-wah, chief superintendent of the police's national security department, said the heavy jail terms reflected the severity of the case.

"The statements and evidence [presented in court] showed that this group had the capability and was very active in trying to carry out the plot," he said.

"If police hadn't dismantled this group and their plan in time, it's believed that many people would have been impacted, including those participating in protests or innocent bystanders."

Li added that the force will study the ruling and may consider applying for a review of the sentences.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com