Anthony Wong, Au Nok-hin charged over rally songs

The ICAC on Monday charged Cantopop singer Anthony Wong and former lawmaker Au Nok-hin with corruption, after the entertainer sang at a rally held by the politician around a week before he went on to win a 2018 Legco by-election.

The anti-graft body says the pair face one count of engaging in corrupt conduct to provide others with entertainment – allegedly to induce people to vote for Au.

Wong, 59, and Au, 34, are due to appear in Eastern Magistrates’ Court on August 5.

The ICAC said it launched an investigation after receiving a complaint regarding a rally held by Au at Edinburgh Place in Central on March 3, 2018.

“Wong performed two songs on stage. At the end of the performance, he appealed to the participants of the rally to vote for Au at the election,” the anti-graft body said in a statement.

It added that a video of the rally was later shared on Au’s social media account and the former lawmaker had reported that the video, as well as a post announcing Wong’s performance, were his election advertisements.

“Providing others with refreshments and entertainment at an election is a corrupt conduct and a serious offence. Candidates, election agents/helpers and members of the public are reminded to refrain from offering food, drinks or entertainment during an election in exchange for votes,” an ICAC spokesperson said.

In December 2019, Au lost his Hong Kong Island Legco seat after another pro-democracy candidate, Agnes Chow, overturned the election result in court.

Au is currently in prison over a protest in 2019. He’s also one of the 47 pro-democracy figures charged under the national security law over primary polls held last year ahead of Legco elections that were eventually scrapped.

Last week, the ICAC charged Occupy movement co-founder Benny Tai and two others with engaging in illegal conduct over adverts placed in newspapers ahead of Legco elections in 2016.