From the SCMP…
Hong Kong’s justice department has rejected online accusations about the newly promoted public prosecutions director [Anthony Chau Tin-hang] and a colleague, labelling the allegations “despicable behaviour” and an attempt to “defame public officers”.
In a statement on Saturday, the department said it had referred the case to law enforcement agencies for further investigation, vowing to “severely punish lawbreakers in accordance with the law”.
US-based Hong Kong fugitive activist Frances Hui Wing-ting has accused the two prosecutors – both of whom have handled national security cases – of abusing their positions for private ends.
Hui also accused their former boss of siding with them.
…Anthony Chau Tin-hang was promoted as the director of public prosecutions earlier this week, succeeding Maggie Yang Mei-kei, who is retiring after 32 years of service with the department.
Joel Chan elaborates…
Online posts by [Hui] … claim [Chau] had an improper relationship with a subordinate DoJ prosecutor, using public funds to stay at The Murray for “national security case work” around holidays
The posts claim Chau influenced senior public prosecutor Crystal Chan Wing-sum’s appraisal, court exposure and promotion prospects
Chau assigned Chan to work on the Sadler/Segantii insider trading case, now ongoing
Hui alleges former DPP Maggie Yang Mei-kei knew but covered it up
Samuel Bickett says…
For years, every lawyer and journalist in Hong Kong has known that new Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau was in an inappropriate sexual relationship with his subordinate Crystal Chan, granting her special privileges and misusing public funds to conceal it. But it took an activist in exile, @frances_hui, to bring it into the open.
If you have wondered why Hong Kong officials are so determined to shut down independent media like Apple Daily, imprison journalists, and drive human rights lawyers out of town, now you understand.
From Janus Tin – a translation of Frances Hui’s long and explicit post…
During the handling of the entire 47 pro-democracy figures case, the two of them more than once used the pretext of “dealing with national security cases” to demand that the police arrange stays at the five-star Murray Hotel with public funds, on dates including Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and the like—using public resources for the two of them to shack up. On [Crystal Chan Wing-sum’s] birthday, the police were even asked to go to Lady M in Central to buy a pink birthday cake worth about HK$1,000 and bring it back to the West Kowloon office, with the excuse being “because the assistant likes pink.” It’s said that during the Jimmy Lai case, the police later realized this was improper and substantially cut back on the hotel services.
…Word is that [Anthony Chau Tin-hang’s] wife once stormed into Yeung Mei-ki’s office in a rage and lodged a complaint with her.
Oh Lawdy!
(The Lady M site, since you’re interested. A highly tasteful Dubai mochi tiramisu boutique.)
The Dept of Justice issues a denial (which is also the focus of the SCMP story)…
The DoJ has noticed that serious allegations involving the newly appointed Director of Public Prosecutions and another DoJ officer have been widely circulating online. The DoJ had earlier conducted a rigorous investigation into an anonymous complaint containing relevant content in accordance with the established procedures, and is confident that the allegations are completely without factual basis, entirely fabricated, and constitute malicious smearing.
It is ill-intentioned for someone to maliciously spread rumours online following the appointment of the new Director of Public Prosecutions, and to deliberately smear dedicated prosecutors who perform duties in safeguarding national security.
If the government is right in stating that the story is ‘entirely fabricated’ – and who am I to doubt it? – I look forward to Frances Hui’s first novel.
Next they’ll be saying Bill Anders wasn’t Hong Kong’s first astronaut!
Allegations of unethical behaviour in the Department of Public Prosecutions are groundless and despicable.
The DPP is as white as the driven snow.
I speak from experience.
Another home goal on the part of the admin.
Because of the many arrests and prison terms for sharing posts with NS content many in the community refrain and rely on the limited word of mouth. Note that HKFP did not cover this. But the govt presser brought it to the attention of the community at large.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, the allegations are serious and involve a number of issues including propriety in public office and abuse of public funds and should be thoroughly investigated, witnesses subpoenaed.
Howls of outrage are an unacceptable response.
…Word is that [Anthony Chau Tin-hang’s] wife once stormed into Yeung Mei-ki’s office in a rage and lodged a complaint with her.
Why would a woman cover up a sexual relationship between one of her male subordinates and one of his female subordinates? I have a pretty vivid imagination and think that this could become very entertaining….
I don’t know who “Economist Simon Lee Siu-po” is, but his take-down of the 11 Skies / Terminal 2 debacle in today’s SCMP is very good.
Corruption or unethical behaviour is not an issue for the Party.
The system can’t function without it.
Everyone is dirty somehow, and everyone knows everyone is dirty.
It’s simply a question of whether it’s Mr. Chau’s turn in the barrel, or not.
We’ll know soon enough.
Did they stay in any 5* hotel together in HKG or not?
Why would they need to stay in a 5* hotel in HKG if they did?
Who authorised anyone staying in a 5* hotel in HKG, and what reasons could possibly justify a HKG government employee staying in a 5* hotel in HKG?
Can any of the legal eagles here explain the implications of this on the Sadler/Segantii case? Being circumspect is understandable given matters of prejudice. Not that HK courts give a fig when Pro-BJ-ers (ooof accidentally hilarious pun!) comment, but thought I’d ask…er, for a friend.
Did they stay in any 5* hotel together in HKG or not?
Reportedly the Murray Hotel. Though the idea of civil servants (a) choosing to work over a Chritmas or Easter holiday beggars belief and (b) having to do that work in a 5* hotel is beyond credibility. Unless he has some very powerful friends, his term as DPP is not likely to be prolonged and he may well be in need of expensive legal services.
@Load Toad
Those are good questions and I’d like to venture an explanation.
In the sunny afterglow of Tung Chee Wah becoming Chief Executive following 150 years of oppressive British rule, one of the HKSAR’s first official acts (after doubling the size of Mr. Tung’s private flat in Grenville House at public expense because his wife said the feng shui at Government House was not up to snuff) was to jettison all of the top HKSAR officials’ Japanese-made vehicles in a xenophobic anti-Nippon fit of Sino-pride and show of loyalty to the motherland.
Did they replace those hated reminders of the Rape of Nanking with equally reliable, low-key and fuel-efficient Korean automobiles?
No, they did not. It was 500-series BMWs all around!
The unearned sense of entitlement in the upper echelons of the HKSAR government has not changed one bit since those days, and it explains why those greasers are carrying on their sordid trysts at public expense with impunity in the 5-star Murray Hotel.
@Warwick Reid
The necessity of procuring BMWs was done in an act of patriotism to recognize and thank Siemens’ Nazi-cum-hero John Rabe for his acts saving thousands of Chinese during the “Rape of Nanking”, thus making BMW a “beloved brand of China”.
I cannot comment on the 5* Murray Hotel, however.