Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog on Monday charged activist Benny Tai Yiu-ting along with two others with illegal conduct by incurring election expenses for the 2016 Legislative Council General Election.
The two other accused are psychologist Ip Kim-ching and activist Sek Sau-ching, according to a press release issued by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The three, who were neither candidates nor election expense agents for any of the candidates of the LegCo polls, spent total over HK$253,000 to place six election-related advertisements in two local newspapers – Ming Pao and Apple Daily – between August and September 2016, said the ICAC.
According to Section 23(1) of the ordinance, it is illegal for a person who is neither a candidate nor a candidate’s election expense agent to incur election expenses in connection with the election
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The anti-graft watchdog revealed that the defendants are facing four counts of engaging in illegal conduct during an election by incurring election expenses contrary to the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO).
According to Section 23(1) of the ordinance, it is illegal for a person who is neither a candidate nor a candidate’s election expense agent to incur election expenses in connection with the election.
Before the election was held on Sept 4, 2016, Tai launched a controversial voting plan called “ThunderGo”, attempting to back certain candidates so that the opposition camp could seize half of the LegCo seats.
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The advertisements placed in the two newspapers were part of the plan, the ICAC added.
Any expenditure incurred for promoting or prejudicing the election of a particular candidate or particular candidates should be counted as election expenses, the ICAC’s statement reads.
The trio will appear before the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, with the authorities saying that the prosecution would seek to transfer the case to the District Court.
Chloe Xu contributed to the story