Yuen Long district councillor resigns after arrest

Yuen Long district councillor Ben Ho announced his resignation on Wednesday, hours after he was arrested, with authorities saying they would charge him with attempted criminal intimidation over a post on his Facebook page.

Officers said they received an anonymous complaint about the post in March last year, with the complainant expressing concern and fear.

The post in question described a sweep Ho said he was planning to conduct against illegal gambling in a Tin Shui Wai public housing estate.

The post was accompanied with a photo of a knife, the police said.

Officers arrested Ho on Wednesday morning and seized two computers and a knife.

They said Ho was due to appear before Tuen Mun Magistracy on July 22.

Asked why the arrest was made over a year after the alleged incident, the police said the investigation had been complicated and they had twice consulted the Department of Justice.