Munce May Be Marooned For Another Month
Story By Chris Scholtz
Friday, 11 August 2006:  | | Chris Munce |
Munce has been marooned in Hong Kong since the first week of July when Hong Kong's powerful Independent Commission Against Corruption took him into custody and confiscated his passport after opening an investigation into an alleged "bets for tips" scam involving illegal bookmakers.
The 36-year-old jockey was released after 24 hours of questioning without any charges being laid against him, but the ICAC has effectively made him "non persona" by retaining his passport pending further inquiries.
Munce failed in an appeal to the Hong Kong Magistrates Court for the return of his passport last month.
Unless the ICAC changes its tune, he will take his case to a higher court as the commission has the power to retain travel documents for up to nine months.
Munce's next appeal to the higher Court Of First Instance is not scheduled until September 19 when his barrister John McNamara will appeal against the Magistrates Court decision.
ICAC officials remain tight lipped about the betting investigation, a spokesman this week stating only that "inquiries are ongoing."
Munce, who has taken legal advice not to comment to the media about the investigation, is alleged to have had bets amounting to $HK600,000 placed on his mounts on his behalf by illegal bookmakers.
The bets were placed after Munce allegedly "tipped" his mounts to the bookmakers.
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