8 convicted of vote-rigging

August 27, 2012

Eight registered voters were today sentenced to two-months' jail by Kowloon City Magistracy for vote-rigging in the 2011 Yau Tsim Mong District Council Election.
 
The defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in corrupt conduct with respect to voting in an election.
 
Acting Principal Magistrate Peter Law said custodial sentences were appropriate for the defendants as engaging in corrupt conduct in an election is a very serious offence. He granted them bail pending their appeals against the sentences.
 
They submitted applications for voter registration as an elector for the District Council Election on July 16 last year. They said three flats in Soy Street, Tung Choi Street and Yin Chong Street were their only or principal residential addresses. However, they did not reside at their reported addresses.
 
On polling day, November 6, they obtained ballot papers and voted in the election after having given to an electoral officer information that they knew to be materially false or misleading.