Hong Kong lawmaker apologises for saying missing booksellers were caught visiting prostitutes, but Lee Bo’s wife rejects it
Despite criticism over remarks, legislator Ng Leung-sing insists he was providing another theory for disappearance of Lee Bo and associates
Pro-government lawmaker Ng Leung-sing apologised on Wednesday for repeating an unsubstantiated online rumour that the missing bookseller Lee Bo and his four associates were caught by mainland officers while having fun with prostitutes, but Lee’s wife rejected the gesture.
Yet Ng insisted that his aim was to provide another theory for the disappearances of the five Hong Kong booksellers.
Ng read out a message from his friend at a Legislative Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon, saying the Hong Kong bookseller Lee Bo and his four associates had taken a boat to go to the mainland and hire prostitutes there. The message also was circulated in social media.
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The finance-sector lawmaker even alleged that mainland officers had recorded video as “evidence”. Ng claimed that Lee’s wife, Choi Ka-ping, had withdrawn her request for police help because she had received the evidence.
On Wednesday Ng apologised to Lee and Choi for alleging that the five had sought prostitutes in the mainland before he was able to verify the claim. He had wanted to share the full message he had received.
“I could not cut short the information I got. I solemnly apologise to Mr Lee and Mrs Lee for mentioning the part involving moral issues without verification,” Ng said.
Asked for her response to the apology, Choi said: “I do not accept it.” She told members of the media gathered outside her home that she was not feeling well and did not answer questions asking about her husband’s whereabouts or about his reported British citizenship.
