Ex-Hong Kong police inspector with HK$2 million debt jailed for lying to colleagues

A former senior Hong Kong police inspector has been jailed for six weeks after lying to colleagues to borrow HK$140,000 (US$17,871), as he struggled with debts exceeding HK$2 million.

Kwun Tong Court on Tuesday sentenced Tang Chun-ho, 45, after finding him guilty of making false claims to secure loans from colleagues in 2023.

Magistrate Betty Lau Suk-han said the defendant had shown no remorse.

“The court has already rejected [the defendant’s defence], yet he repeated it in the background report, which indicates a lack of remorse,” Lau said.

Tang was found guilty of falsely claiming to a colleague in November 2023 that a bank was pursuing him over a loan. He borrowed a total of HK$130,000 from the colleague.

Two months later, he told a subordinate that his father was in critical condition and asked to borrow HK$10,000 to cover medical expenses.

Tang, formerly a commander in Sai Kung district, was charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption with one count of fraud and one count of a prescribed officer accepting an advantage.