A group of 14 civil servants employed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in Hong Kong has filed a lawsuit in the High Court against a colleague, Ling Chun-ting, over a disputed lottery prize. The dispute centers on a Mark Six jackpot worth HK$33 million, which was drawn on September 5. According to the court writ, the plaintiffs allege that the winnings were intended to be shared among the group as part of a collective betting arrangement.

The plaintiffs contend that they are entitled to a combined HK$28.9 million of the total prize money. However, the defendant, a health inspector, has reportedly refused to distribute the funds. The core of the defendant's argument, as cited in the court documents, is that his colleagues did not physically purchase the tickets themselves and therefore do not have a valid claim to the winnings. The case highlights a conflict over the nature of verbal or informal agreements regarding group lottery pools within a professional workplace setting. As the matter is now before the High Court, the legal proceedings will likely focus on whether a binding agreement existed between the colleagues regarding the shared purchase of the lottery tickets. No further details regarding the specific evidence of the alleged agreement have been released at this stage.