Housing Officer charged by ICAC admits illegal handling of public housing transfer applications
2022-12-19
A Housing Officer of the Housing Department (HD), charged by the ICAC, today (December 19) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had handled two public housing unit transfer applications by using a document containing a false approval in breach of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO), and forging a memo issued by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) to cover up his delays in handling the applications. The offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the ICAC.
Pau Man-ho, 35, Housing Officer of the HD, pleaded guilty to three charges – one of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO; and one of criminal damage and one of forgery, respectively contrary to Section 60(1) and Section 71 of the Crimes Ordinance. The prosecution withdrew another count of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal against him.
Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu adjourned the case to December 29 for sentence. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that in 2014, when the defendant was posted to Kwai Chung Estate, he received an application from a tenant requesting to add his grandmother-in-law to the tenancy for being transferred to a larger unit in the estate. The defendant was required to conduct an assessment to verify the eligibility of the application, such as checking whether the additional family member would enjoy any double housing benefits, and submit the relevant housing file to his supervisors for approval.
In late November 2015, after the defendant realised his delay in handling the application, he used a document which falsely stated that approval was given by a Senior Housing Manager of the HD for the tenant’s transfer to mislead the department. As a result, a larger unit was allocated to the tenant.
The HD later found out that the tenant’s grandmother-in-law might have enjoyed double housing benefits as she had been registered under another subsidised public housing unit. The defendant was then requested by a supervisor to provide the relevant housing file for examination. The defendant destroyed the relevant housing file for fear that his failure to verify if the additional family member enjoyed double housing benefits and that the delay in handling the said application might have been uncovered by his supervisor.
The court also heard that in June 2020, when the defendant was posted to Fu Cheong Estate, he handled another request for a transfer of housing unit referred by the SWD via a memo dated June 16, 2020.
About a year later, the defendant realised that he had not replied to the SWD in respect of the application. In order to cover up the delay, the defendant altered the memo issuance date to June 18, 2021, and filed it in the relevant housing file.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Enquiries revealed that the defendant had resorted to the above illegal means to cover up his delays in handling the above applications. Upon completion of the investigation, legal advice was sought from the Department of Justice. Pursuant to the legal advice, the defendant was charged on October 12, 2022.
The HD and SWD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Gigi Ng.
An ICAC spokesperson reminds civil servants to uphold a high standard of integrity in the course of discharging their duties so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service. The ICAC will continue to join hands with all government departments to provide integrity training to civil servants to strengthen the probity culture.
Pau Man-ho, 35, Housing Officer of the HD, pleaded guilty to three charges – one of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO; and one of criminal damage and one of forgery, respectively contrary to Section 60(1) and Section 71 of the Crimes Ordinance. The prosecution withdrew another count of agent using document with intent to deceive his principal against him.
Magistrate Mr Jeffrey Sze Cho-yiu adjourned the case to December 29 for sentence. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that in 2014, when the defendant was posted to Kwai Chung Estate, he received an application from a tenant requesting to add his grandmother-in-law to the tenancy for being transferred to a larger unit in the estate. The defendant was required to conduct an assessment to verify the eligibility of the application, such as checking whether the additional family member would enjoy any double housing benefits, and submit the relevant housing file to his supervisors for approval.
In late November 2015, after the defendant realised his delay in handling the application, he used a document which falsely stated that approval was given by a Senior Housing Manager of the HD for the tenant’s transfer to mislead the department. As a result, a larger unit was allocated to the tenant.
The HD later found out that the tenant’s grandmother-in-law might have enjoyed double housing benefits as she had been registered under another subsidised public housing unit. The defendant was then requested by a supervisor to provide the relevant housing file for examination. The defendant destroyed the relevant housing file for fear that his failure to verify if the additional family member enjoyed double housing benefits and that the delay in handling the said application might have been uncovered by his supervisor.
The court also heard that in June 2020, when the defendant was posted to Fu Cheong Estate, he handled another request for a transfer of housing unit referred by the SWD via a memo dated June 16, 2020.
About a year later, the defendant realised that he had not replied to the SWD in respect of the application. In order to cover up the delay, the defendant altered the memo issuance date to June 18, 2021, and filed it in the relevant housing file.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Enquiries revealed that the defendant had resorted to the above illegal means to cover up his delays in handling the above applications. Upon completion of the investigation, legal advice was sought from the Department of Justice. Pursuant to the legal advice, the defendant was charged on October 12, 2022.
The HD and SWD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Gigi Ng.
An ICAC spokesperson reminds civil servants to uphold a high standard of integrity in the course of discharging their duties so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service. The ICAC will continue to join hands with all government departments to provide integrity training to civil servants to strengthen the probity culture.