Hoi Pong freed of fraud charges

CARL LOUIS HOI PONG, who was extradited from Florida, United States, 16 years ago to face charges of fraud at the Inland Revenue Department, has been freed of all six charges. Hoi Pong, 45, walked out of the Port-of-Spain First Magistrates’ Court after the State conceded that it had no witnesses to call. The preliminary inquiry, the second to be heard, had been fixed for trial before Senior Magistrate Ejenny Espinet. But State attorney Narina Parsis informed the court that the prosecution was unable to produce any of its witnesses. She said the witnesses expressed no desire to give evidence as some of them were elderly and/or physically challenged, while others from the Inland Revenue Department had since retired. Even the complainant, Sgt Philbert David, had retired from the Police Service.

Parsis explained that she could not proceed with the matter any further. As a result, Magistrate Espinet dismissed the charges and discharged Hoi Pong. Attorney Roy Holford represented the accused for the past 17 years. Hoi Pong, alias “Kongee,” was a cashier at the Inland Revenue Department in Port-of-Spain. There was a highly-publicised investigation by the Fraud Squad into allegations of fraud at the Inland Revenue Department. Hoi Pong, who was then residing at Cocoyea Village, San Fernando, left his job around noon on December 12, 1986 and boarded an American Airlines flight to New York. He never returned to his job. On July 17, 1987, a warrant was obtained by Sgt David for Hoi Pong’s arrest. He was wanted on five charges of embezzlement and defrauding the Board of Inland Revenue (see charges below).

Hoi Pong was located on August 10, 1987, staying at a house at 1831 North Miami Beach, Florida. The State began extradition proceedings in the Southern District Florida Court to have Hoi Pong returned to Trinidad to face the charges. After initially agreeing to contest the extradition, Hoi Pong eventually withdrew and voluntarily returned to Trinidad in 1988. The preliminary inquiry was started before the then Chief Magistrate Melville Baird (now a judge) and after a number of witnesses had given evidence, Hoi Pong absconded in 1991 and did not return. When he failed to appear in court, a warrant was obtained for his arrest. But Hoi Pong ran into further trouble in Florida. He was arrested and charged with others for conspiracy to traffic cocaine in Florida and was jailed for several years.

After his release from jail in 2000, Hoi Pong voluntarily returned to Trinidad to face his charges. By that time, Baird had been elevated to the Bench and the preliminary inquiry was fixed to start before a new magistrate, Ejenny Espinet. Hoi Pong remained in custody for some time before a Judge in Chambers granted him conditional bail. The inquiry was adjourned ten times at the request of the prosecution before it was finally fixed for trial. According to the charges — Hoi Pong on April 4, 1986, being a clerk at Inland Revenue, wilfully defrauded the Government of an Income tax remittance cheque in the name of STEPHEN KOO of Charles Street, Port of Spain, for income year 1984.

He was also charged of embezzling the sum of $386,744.83 received by him by virtue of his employment at the Inland Revenue Division, during the period March 15, 1982 and October 29, 1986. Also, on June 27, 1985, wilfully and with intent to defraud the Government an Income tax remittance cheque in the name of EMPIRE SALES AND AGENCIES LTD of No. 4A Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain, for income year 1983. Hoi Pong was also charged that on August 9, 1983, falsified the Government of a Tax Remittance cheque in the name of JE GUIDE of 112 Coffee Street, San Fernando, for income year 1978. On May 12, 1983 at Port-of-Spain, he also falsified the Board of Inland Revenue, a Tax Remittance cheque in the name of TRIN STORES LTD of 39A Wrightson Road, Port of spain, for income year 1981. Also, on June 30, 1986, he defrauded the Government of an Income Tax remittance cheque in the name of ANGUS TIMAL of La Chance South Trace, Arima, for income year 1983.