Anthony Wong released on bail after being arrested over corruption charges

Anthony Wong Yiu-ming, singer and activist who was arrested for providing entertainment during a rally by then-aspiring lawmaker Au Nok-hin, was released on bail after his arrest on August 2. The 59-year-old Wong and 34-year-old Au are reportedly set to appear in Eastern Magistrates' Courts on Thursday. While Wong was released on bail, Au is serving a jail term in a separate case. As per reports, the Independent Commission Against Corruption jointly charged the two with one count of engaging in corrupt conduct to provide others with entertainment at an election on March 3, 2018.

Wong had sung two songs in a rally organised by Au a week ahead of the Legislative Council by-election on March 11, 2018. The 59-year-old is the second person to be arrested within a month over providing entertainment during an election and being charged with corrupt conduct. Further, ICAC said that Au had published posts on social media giant Facebook from February 2018 to announce that he would hold a two-hour rally at Edinburgh Place in Central on March 3 that year. The two songs sung by Won included his written, ‘A Forbidden Fruit Once Per Day’ and ‘It's My Party.’

Wong urged rally-goers to vote for Au

ICAC also said that Au had shared the video of the rally on Facebook the next day including Wong’s performance where he appealed to the rally-goers to vote for Au. The  24-year-old also included the video and the post announcing Wong’s performance at the rally in his election advertisements. Au is reportedly serving a 10-month jail term for the organising of participation in an unauthorised assembly in Causeway Bay on August 18, 2019.

Au is one of the at least 47 politicians in Hong Kong and activists who have been charged with conspiracy to subvert the state powers under the national security law in a pro-democracy primary case. Under the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, it is corrupt conduct in the former British colony for any individual to bear the cost of food, drinks or entertainment for another person to induce others to vote for an election candidate, noted ICAC. The person guilty according to the rule could be jailed for up to seven years and fined up to HK$500,000.

IMAGE: AP