The Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has brought a lawsuit against a deputy director of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for conspiring to obstruct justice.

On January 9th, the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) brought a case against a former deputy director of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), accusing her of conspiring to obstruct justice. She is alleged to have provided advice to individuals under investigation in an SFC probe into suspected market manipulation activities by a listed company on how to deal with the investigation, including destroying possible evidence. The ICAC identified the accused as Ms. Tang Ying-ha, the former deputy director of the Market Misconduct Division of the SFC. She is charged with conspiring to obstruct justice, in violation of common law and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. She has been granted bail by the ICAC and the case is scheduled for a hearing at the Eastern Magistrates' Court tomorrow (January 10). At the time of the incident, the SFC was investigating false trading and market manipulation activities involving China Gas Industry Investment Holdings Company Limited ("market manipulation investigation"). Although the accused was not required to be involved in the investigation, she had access to confidential information related to the market manipulation investigation by virtue of her position, but was not authorized to disclose such confidential information to unauthorized persons. The charges allege that the accused conspired to obstruct justice with one of the individuals under investigation in the market manipulation investigation between July 15 and 27, 2022. She is accused of meeting with the individual and advising them on possible investigative actions the SFC may take and how to respond to the SFC's inquiries, including advising them on how to answer questions and destroy potential evidence.