Ex-Hong Kong national security police director admits visiting unlicensed massage parlour but tells

The former director of Hong Kong’s national security police has admitted being a patron of an alleged vice facility, but has told a court he had no knowledge about any sexual services being offered at the massage parlour until he was found there during a raid last year.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Frederic Choi Chin-pang told Eastern Court on Tuesday he had visited the unlicensed Viet Spa in Wan Chai four or five times since mid-2020 before he was found alongside a masseuse inside a room of the establishment on March 19, 2021.

Choi, 51, was called to testify as a defence witness for one of four suspects arrested during the operation, as lawyers sought to demonstrate no sexual services had ever been provided during the period of the officer’s patronage.

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He was stripped of his post and reassigned as the force’s head of training and discipline after he was found to be among customers of the massage parlour. An internal investigation cleared him of illegal conduct, but he still faces a civil service disciplinary hearing.

A man accused of being the parlour’s owner – Wu Ping-hung, 61 – was charged with keeping a vice establishment and operating an unlicensed massage parlour.

Three women who allegedly worked there – Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, 34, and masseuses Li Yiqing, 36, and Zhang Mingfang, 35 – were also hit with charges relating to managing such establishments. All four have pleaded not guilty.

The trial, which began last week, heard that an undercover officer visited the spa three times between October 2020 and March 2021 to gather evidence.

After the undercover officer received a massage during his first two visits, he was offered a chance to purchase additional services involving bodily contact with the masseuse.

On Tuesday, Choi said he used to spend up to an hour in each of his visits, but had never been offered services of a sexual nature.

He said he had received “the same service” every time he went to the parlour, and that he could not handpick a masseuse to serve him. He said he did not believe such services would be available in the first place.

“Was there ever any suggestion at any of your times there, that sexual services of any kind were available?” asked barrister Oliver Davies, who represents Wu.

“No one had ever suggested that to me,” Choi replied.

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In cross-examination, prosecutor Claudia Ko Hoi-yee sought to diminish the value of Choi’s evidence by highlighting that he had no knowledge or control over the anti-vice operation, nor did he have an opportunity to clarify whether the facility had a valid licence. Choi agreed.

“You visited the premises in your private capacity, didn’t you? It has nothing to do with your official capacity,” Ko said.

“Yes,” Choi replied.

The officer added his observation was based on his personal experience and he could not tell whether any illicit activities had taken place in other parts of the spa he had never been to.

Parties will return on September 23 to submit closing submissions before Magistrate Jason Wan Siu-ming delivers his verdict.

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