A former police officer on Friday pleaded guilty to soliciting and accepting an advantage for asking for a HK$1 million loan from a complainant and accepting HK$$60,000 from an arrestee.
Au Kar-man, 47, appeared before magistrate Lau Suk-han in Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts on Friday. She pleaded guilty to a count of a prescribed officer soliciting an advantage and another count of a prescribed officer accepting an advantage.
She was also involved in a HK$530,000 money laundering case and had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Both cases were adjourned to August 12 for mitigation and sentencing, and Au has been remanded in custody until her next court appearance.
The court earlier heard that Au joined the police force in 1994 and had been posted to the Eastern District crime investigation team since July 2019.
On November 15 of the same year, Au exchanged contacts with a woman surnamed Lee, who filed a report about a theft case at a restaurant. Au told Lee her boss didn't like her and wished to assign her to other teams. However, she also promised Lee to speed up the investigation of that case.
In January 2020, Au asked Lee for a HK$1 million loan, saying she needed the money to pay off debts for her sister and the legal fees of her children's custody. However, Lee refused to give Au the money and rejected any further meetings regarding the investigation of the case.
On August 21, 2019, Au exchanged contacts with a man surnamed Wu, who was arrested for fighting in public after a police recorded meeting. Au then asked Wu for a HK$60,000 loan on May 8, 2020, saying she needed the money desperately over the lawsuit for her children's custody.
Au promised Wu she would pay off the debt within two weeks plus HK$20,000 in interest. Wu agreed to borrow Au the money and wrote her a HK$60,000 check in Kowloon Bay three days later.
Yet, Au failed to repay Wu and was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in December 2020. She remained silent in the recorded meeting.
The prosecution offered no evidence for another charge of solicitation against her, which accused her of asking Lee for HK$30,000.
She was also involved in a HK$530,000 money laundering case and had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Both cases were adjourned to August 12 for mitigation and sentencing, and Au has been remanded in custody until her next court appearance.
The court earlier heard that Au joined the police force in 1994 and had been posted to the Eastern District crime investigation team since July 2019.
On November 15 of the same year, Au exchanged contacts with a woman surnamed Lee, who filed a report about a theft case at a restaurant. Au told Lee her boss didn't like her and wished to assign her to other teams. However, she also promised Lee to speed up the investigation of that case.
In January 2020, Au asked Lee for a HK$1 million loan, saying she needed the money to pay off debts for her sister and the legal fees of her children's custody. However, Lee refused to give Au the money and rejected any further meetings regarding the investigation of the case.
On August 21, 2019, Au exchanged contacts with a man surnamed Wu, who was arrested for fighting in public after a police recorded meeting. Au then asked Wu for a HK$60,000 loan on May 8, 2020, saying she needed the money desperately over the lawsuit for her children's custody.
Au promised Wu she would pay off the debt within two weeks plus HK$20,000 in interest. Wu agreed to borrow Au the money and wrote her a HK$60,000 check in Kowloon Bay three days later.
Yet, Au failed to repay Wu and was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in December 2020. She remained silent in the recorded meeting.
The prosecution offered no evidence for another charge of solicitation against her, which accused her of asking Lee for HK$30,000.