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Crime victims get $9.8 million compensation
The Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation (CLEIC) Boards paid out $9.82 million in compensation to victims or their dependants in 1993/94, according to the Boards' latest annual report.
The payments were awarded to 877 criminal injuries cases and four law enforcement injuries cases.
This brings the total payment of grants to $82.88 million since the inception of the CLEIC Scheme in 1973.
The Chairman of the Boards, Mr Anthony Neoh, said 867 applications for criminal injuries compensation were received in the year, representing 10.06 per cent of the 8,619 reported cases of criminal injuries.
Among the applications, 345 were related to assault and wounding; 152 to robbery, theft and burglary; 44 to homicide, murder and manslaughter; 19 to arson; 11 to injuries caused by falling objects and four to sexual offences.
Regarding the source of applications, 619 of them were referred by the Police, 207 submitted by the victims themselves or their families, and the rest referred by the Social Welfare Department and other organisations, Mr Neoh said.
During the year, the largest single payment was $167,134, which was given to a victim, a partner of a decoration company, who sustained injuries during a wounding incident because he refused to pay protection fee to triad groups. The smallest award was $258.
The scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to people who are victims of violent crimes or are killed or injured in helping to prevent crime in Hong Kong, and their dependants.
It also provides for the payment of compensation where a person is killed or injured by law enforcement officers using weapons in the execution of their duties. The scheme does not involve a means test and is non-contributory.
For enquiries, please call the Social Welfare Department hotline 2343 2255.
End/Sunday, July 23, 1995