Two women found guilty of bribing people to vote DAB

Two women were on Thursday found guilty of offering gifts to Sham Shui Po residents in exchange for votes for the DAB in a 2018 Legco by-election.

West Kowloon Magistracy heard that Deng Yi-mei, 42, and Wong Wai-ha, 52, were volunteers of a resident organisation in Hoi Lai Estate. Wong was also a part-time assistant to the chairwoman of the pro-Beijing party, Starry Lee.

Deng and Wong texted residents multiple times, offered them “gift bags”, and lobbied them to vote for DAB candidate Vincent Cheng.

Cheng went on to win the by-election for the Legco seat vacated by disqualified Yau Wai-ching.

Deng and Wong were convicted of conspiracy to engage in corrupt conduct by offering an advantage to others. They are expected to be sentenced on May 26.

Lee said she and staff members at her office were not involved in the case and she only learnt about it from the media.

Two residents prosecuted in relation to the bribery case were acquitted.

The magistrate said there was not enough evidence to prove that the two voters had been influenced by the gifts they received.