By Tom Grundy

Copyright hongkongfp

A former police constable has been handed a 160-hour community service order for deceiving the Hong Kong Police Credit Union (HKPCU) into granting him a loan of over HK$57,000.

Ma Wai-cheong, 48, was found to have concealed loans of over HK$500,000 already obtained from six other financial institutions when he applied for the loan at the HKPCU. He was found guilty of fraud on Tuesday at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, according to a press release from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

The ICAC probe was a result of a complaint referred by the police after Ma applied for a loan in July 2019. “ICAC enquiries revealed that when the loan application was made with the HKPCU, the defendant had obtained loans totalling over $500,000 from six financial institutions and he was required to make repayments of over $24,000 each month,” the anti-graft watchdog said.

“Magistrate Mr Edward Wong Ching-yu said the defendant had exhibited remorse, admitted that he had knowingly committed the offence and promised to rehabilitate himself when he was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department after conviction. Having considered the circumstances, a community service order was imposed on him,” the ICAC added.

The HKPCU was founded in 1981 “to encourage thrift and promote prudent financial management among its members,” according to the police website. In April 2020, it moved its assets to mainland banks out of concern for US sanctions.

See also: Ex-Hong Kong policeman faces 30 new charges of bribery, HK$2.4m loan fraud

Under section 16A(1) of the Hong Kong Theft Ordinance (Cap. 210), the maximum sentence for fraud is imprisonment for 14 years.