Police have arrested a woman for allegedly posing online as a family member of one of the people killed in the Tai Po bus crash on Saturday and asking for donations online.
The suspect, a 25-year-old IT worker who designs websites surnamed Cheung, was arrested in Mong Kok yesterday afternoon on suspicion of accessing a computer with dishonest intent.
She reportedly posted a message on Facebook groups — including this one dedicated to second-hand electronics, and this one for mothers selling baby products — saying “I hope everyone can put in a little bit of help for the family of my husband’s elder sister. They have lost their main breadwinner and he leaves behind two children.”
The message asks people to deposit money into two bank accounts to support the family, Apple Daily reports.
According to superintendent for technology crime Swalikh Mohammed, who spoke to reporters last night outside Mong Kok police station, at least five people reported the messages to the police on February 11, the day after the tragic incident that killed 19 people.
During the arrest operation, officers also seized two mobile phones, a tablet computer, and a laptop computer.
He added that the investigation is ongoing, but officers believe that Cheung was acting on her own.
It is not clear if Cheung had received money in any of the two bank accounts after posting the messages, but Mohammed told reporters that none of the informants had transferred money.
“Police would like to remind the public that the cyber world is not a lawless space where criminals can hide and commit an offence, most of the offences which is applicable to the real world is also applicable to the cyber world,” he said
“Whenever there are serious incidents or accidents, we understand that citizens would like to have a compassionate heart and would like to help victims, or families of the victims. But we would like to remind everyone to stay vigilant, and not to let some culprit scammers to use their compassionate heart to cheat money.”
Nineteen people died and a further 65 were injured on Saturday evening when a KMB bus traveling from Sha Tin racecourse towards Tai Po lost control and flipped on its side while making a turn near Tai Po Mei.
Most victims of the accident, which saw the double decker flip and smash into a lamppost, were men in their 50s and 60s.
According to RTHK, of the 32 people are still in hospital, five are in a serious condition, and five are in a critical condition.
The 30-year-old bus driver Chan Ho-ming appeared at Fanling Magistrates’ Court charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
The SCMP reports that prosecutors revealed that Chan could face a more serious charge of manslaughter, pending legal advice.
Prosecutors were granted eight more weeks for investigation, and they intend to interview 37 more passengers and other eyewitnesses, and they are also waiting on analysis of a black box recorder, which logs the technical details of th journey, an examination of the wreckage, and the 19 autopsy reports. The newspaper reports they have already spoken to 28 people.
Chan was not required to enter a plea yesterday, but declared his occupation as a cook. His application for bail was rejected and he was remanded in custody for eight weeks.
The case will return to the same court on April 10.
