Global Financial Market Review

The former head of the national security police, Frederic Choi, testified in court on Tuesday that he had never received any sexual services in a massage parlour raided by officers in an anti-vice operation last year.

Choi, the first director of the force's national security department, was summoned as a defence witness in the trial of a man and three women from Viet Spa in Wan Chai over charges of operating a vice establishment.

When questioned by a defence lawyer at Eastern Court, Choi said he started visiting the massage parlour from mid-2020 and was there four or five times in total.

He said he had never received any sexual services in the parlour, and that no one there had offered him such services.

Choi added that on each occasion, he usually left within an hour.

When questioned by the prosecution, Choi said he didn't know in advance and had no say about the raid in March 2021.

He was caught up in the police operation and was put on leave after the case came to light in May.

Authorities later concluded Choi did nothing unethical or illegal.

He later became the head of human resources and training of the force.