In the recent case of HKSAR v Pang Hung Fai (FACC 8/2013), the Court of Final Appeal (the CFA) offered, for the first time, authoritative guidance on the mental element of “having reasonable grounds to believe” under section 25(1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap 455) (the OSCO).
Section 25(1) makes it an offence for anyone to deal with any property while "knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe" that such property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person's proceeds of an indictable offence. The CFA's judgment in effect overturns previous Court of Appeal (the CA) jurisprudence and offered much-welcomed clarity on the subject.
For more on this case from our Asia Disputes Team, click here.
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