Read the full judgment text of CACC 000095/1993 on BabelCite. This Court of Appeal judgment was delivered on 28 October 1993 before Silke VP, Bokhary JA, Leonard J.
Criminal law – sentencing – loan-sharking – excessive interest – false imprisonment – leave to appeal – manifest excess – Money Lenders Ordinance (Cap.163) s.24(1) – The applicant lent $20,000 to a prostitute at 1,371.439% interest and when she could not repay, he assaulted and falsely imprisoned her, demanding repayment or that she work for him as a prostitute. The trial judge imposed 9 months for each of three lending charges (concurrent) and 4 years for false imprisonment (consecutive), totaling 4 years 9 months. On application for leave to appeal against sentence, the Court of Appeal held that although the sentence was high, it was within the judge's discretionary range given the prevalence and serious nature of loan-sharking operations. The court refused leave to appeal and dismissed the application.
Legal issues: Appeal against sentence
Outcome: Application for leave to appeal against sentence refused.
Cited by 2 cases