Hong Kong police vow to pursue ex-singer Tommy Yuen after bail jump in theft case
Police on Friday condemned the abscondment of Yuen, who confirmed in a Facebook post on Wednesday that he had left the city after he was arrested and charged with allegedly shoplifting around HK$140 worth of goods from a supermarket last month.
According to local media, Yuen was expected to attend the first mention of his case at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on Wednesday. Magistrate Philip Chan issued an arrest warrant for Yuen after neither he nor his lawyer showed up at the hearing.
In his post, Yuen said he 'didn't forget to go to court'; instead, he 'never intended to go in the first place.'
In response to HKFP enquiries, a police spokesperson said on Friday that Yuen's social media post amounted to 'blatantly defying the law' and 'inciting hatred against the government.'
'The police strongly condemn Yuen's shameful act of absconding to evade justice and warn all criminals not to naively believe that fleeing Hong Kong allows them to escape legal consequences,' an email reply from the police read.
The force added that fugitives such as Yuen would face a 'lifelong pursuit' unless they surrender themselves.
Yuen – a former member of Cantopop group E-kids – was jailed for two years and two months in September 2023 for sedition, under the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance, and money laundering.
He was accused of launching crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for 'A,' a woman he said had been charged with rioting. Prosecutors said he sold cookies online to raise HK$718,788, which he claimed would support the woman, who did not exist.
He was also convicted of making seditious statements online, including about the death of a marine police officer while on duty in September 2021 and a national security magistrate who took leave due to illness.
Yuen pleaded guilty to both offences.
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