Doctor to be sentenced next month for improperly issuing COVID-19 vaccine exemptions
發佈日期: 2025-06-18 20:43
TVB News
Medical doctor Wong Ping-leung has admitted to improperly issuing COVID-19 vaccine exemption certificates during the pandemic.
He will be sentenced next month.
The 62-year-old defendant, Wong Ping-leung, was brought to the District Court in a prison van.
Wong practised in a clinic in Chai Wan. Court documents revealed that Wong issued 6,600 vaccine exemption certificates between February and June 2022 during the pandemic, charging 500 to 800 dollars per certificate involving at least 3 million dollars.
Wong pleaded guilty to four counts of access to a computer with dishonest intent.
The sentencing was originally scheduled for early this month, but the defence argued that Wong misunderstood his discretionary power in issuing the exemption certificates.
The judge allowed Wong to testify further, but Wong didn't defend himself.
The defence explained that Wong had been under prolonged stress since the incident, suffering from frequent insomnia and a significant decline in cognitive and memory functions, and hence decided not to testify.
A letter written by the 62-year-old doctor was read in court, in which he admitted his lack of ability to determine his authority to issue exemptions.
He described himself as a "soft-hearted" person, often yielding to others' requests.
The judge questioned this explanation, noting that Wong has outstanding academic achievements and epidemiology knowledge.
The judge also raised suspicions that Wong acted for financial gain.
The defence emphasised that Wong did not oppose the vaccine policy, adding that he immediately stopped issuing exemptions after receiving a red warning from the Department of Health, indicating no premeditated intent to commit a crime.
The defence urged the court not to let "a momentary mistake" lead to a permanent stain on his life.
The defence lawyer pleaded for leniency, noting that defendants of similar cases of abusing exemption certificates faced the risk of jail sentencing, but Wong chose to plead guilty, hoping for a lighter sentence considering that Wong was not a malicious criminal.
The judge adjourned the case until July 11th to allow both the prosecution and the defence to present further arguments, and the defendant is to remain in custody.
