Prison officer admits brutal assault on inmate after baby powder bingo game

A former Hong Kong prison officer has admitted severely wounding an inmate by repeatedly thrusting a stick into the man’s rectum after being sprinkled with baby powder during a game.Tam Lik-chung, an ex-assistant officer in the Correctional Services Department, pleaded guilty in the District Court on Monday along with an inmate, Ho Lik-wun, who had helped hold down the victim.Tam, 33, had been overseeing young inmates at Pik Uk Prison in Sai Kung at the time of the assault in December 2023.The prosecution said two officers and four inmates on remand were playing bingo in the prison’s activity room on December 26. The game rules included sprinkling baby powder on the loser.During the game, the victim – identified in court by his surname Chiu – sprinkled Tam with baby powder from behind.After the game ended, Tam led the group to a staircase, where he told Chiu to bend down on his knees and take off his pants.