Patrick Ho's Wife Makes Emotional Plea To US Judge

Some prominent associates of former home affairs secretary Patrick Ho have joined his wife, Hu Hui-chong, in urging a US judge to show leniency to the former official who has been found guilty of bribing two African nations on behalf of a mainland consortium.

In an emotional letter submitted to US District Judge Loretta Preska as a part of the mitigation, Ho's wife told the judge of her despair, saying the events since his arrest in November 2017 even drove her to think of ending her life.

Hu described her 70-year-old husband as not only a highly educated gentleman, but also a kind and generous person who was always willing to treat his poorer ophthalmology patients for free.

She said he gave up a lucrative career which earned him over US$1 million a year to take up a role in the Hong Kong government which paid him only HK$1 million, to serve the public and help those in need.

She also pointed out that she had approached many of his old friends to write support letters, but some refused to help because "they were afraid of offending the US government, and because he will no longer have a future and hence has no useful value anymore".

"I kneel down to appeal to you, let [Patrick Ho] Chi-ping come home, come home, come at the earliest possible time," she pleaded.

Ho's mother, who's over 90 years old, also submitted a letter, expressing her wish to see him again before she dies.

Other people who also wrote in favour of Ho include another former home affairs secretary, Tsang Tak-sing, DAB lawmakers Horace Cheung and Leung Chi-cheung, NPC delegate Ip Kwok-him, as well as former FTU lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing.

But his ex-boss, former Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, however, did not express his support for the 70-year-old. CY Leung, who headed the Executive Council when Ho was a cabinet minister did not submit a letter either.