Police probing if rape allegation was misleading

Central and Western District Council chairwoman Cheng lai-king (left) raises a question to police chief Chris Tang, seated to her left. Photo: RTHK

Police Commissioner Chris Tang on Thursday revealed that his department is now investigating whether officers were misled over a complaint filed by a woman who said she was gang-raped inside Tsuen Wan Police Station.



Tang revealed this during a turbulent meeting with newly elected councillors of Central and Western District Council. The Pro-democracy camp wrested control of the council after they won 14 out of 15 seats in the November elections and asked the police chief to attend their meeting.



Answering a question by the council chairwoman Cheng Lai-king, the police chief said the direction of the investigation into a complaint filed by the alleged rape victim has now shifted.



He reminded the councillors that police had already said that CCTV footage recovered is not consistent with the woman's claims. The police are now looking to see whether officers had been misled, he said.



The council meeting began with a shouting match between the councillors and police supporters who had come to watch the proceedings. Many of the supporters raised slogans supporting the police and praised Tang, who met and shook hands with some of them.



But as the meeting started, the councillors took turn to grill the police chief, raising questions from the possible use of stun guns, allegations of police brutality, to outright calls for his resignation.



When addressing the police chief, many of the councillors used his English initials PK, which is a derogatory term in Chinese.



Councillor Napo Wong at one point waved a piece of raw pork to invoke a Chinese saying that alludes to people being framed, implying the police are falsely arresting people.



Tang expressed concern about "rumours and false information" being spread about his officers, and denied allegations of rape at police stations, and reports of arrested people being sent across to the mainland.



The police chief came down heavily on people linking the police to corpses found floating in the sea, and cases of people falling from buildings. These are completely unfounded allegations aimed at inciting hatred, he said.



Tang said he won't resign and he's doing a good job. Only those who fear me being a person of justice want me to go, he said.



The police chief walked out of the meeting as councillors were discussing a motion to condemn the force.



Speaking to reporters, Tang said it was regrettable that councillors only wanted to vent their emotions.



"Unfortunately it seems that most of the questions were focused on false accusations against police rather than a reasonable discussion," he said.