Socialite avoids jail for lying over Covid-hit party
Socialite Celia Wong was on Monday ordered to serve 160 hours of community service for lying to health officials investigating a 2022 Covid outbreak linked to a party attended by government officials and political heavyweights. Wong was earlier convicted of four counts of knowingly misleading officials by failing to tell them where she had been in the city around the time she attended the gathering for former National People’s Congress member Witman Hung. The party sparked an outcry after some guests didn't follow mask-wearing rules and others didn't bother to check in using the compulsory LeaveHomeSafe contact-tracing app. Wong was one of those who tested positive for the virus.  Ahead of sentencing, Wong’s lawyer said the defendant is a hard-working entrepreneur who takes part in charitable work.  But Kowloon City deputy magistrate Ophelia Yap said Wong's offence was serious, and a deterrent sentence was needed to ensure anti-epidemic efforts aren't undermined. Yap also rejected the defendant’s claim that she committed the crime by mistake due to her ignorance of the law.  The magistrate noted, however, that Wong had only delayed the authorities' contact-tracing work by three days and had eventually told the truth. Yap said she settled on the community service after considering factors such as Wong's background, her contribution to society, and the fact that this was her first offence.