Associate professor of HKU charged by ICAC over $720,000 housing allowance fraud
2023-3-22
An associate professor of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) was charged by the ICAC today (March 22) for allegedly defrauding the HKU of Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) totalling over $720,000 by making false representations about her compliance with the relevant “live-in-requirement”.
Lee Suet-ching, 54, associate professor of the Department of Law of the HKU, faces one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail and would appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (March 24), pending the prosecution’s application for transferring the case to the District Court.
The defendant joined the Department of Law of the HKU in August 1992. In October 2005, she made the first application for PTA in respect of a flat in Kowloon rented by her. Thereafter she made a fresh application every two years.
When applying for PTA, an applicant has to declare that he or she agrees to abide by the rules and regulations governing the approval of the allowance, including the “live-in-requirement”.
It is alleged that between October 29, 2019 and October 31, 2021, the defendant falsely represented to the HKU that she had complied with the abovementioned “live-in-requirement”, and with intent to defraud, induced the HKU to reimburse her the rent, rates and management charges in the total sum of over $720,000.
The investigation arose from a complaint filed with the ICAC. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, the defendant had all along been residing with her parents at another premises in the New Territories. During the period, a personal friend of the defendant was the sole occupant of the abovementioned flat in Kowloon that was used to apply for PTA.
Had the HKU known that the defendant had not complied with the relevant “live-in-requirement”, it would not have reimbursed any of the amount claimed by the defendant.
The HKU has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Lee Suet-ching, 54, associate professor of the Department of Law of the HKU, faces one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail and would appear in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (March 24), pending the prosecution’s application for transferring the case to the District Court.
The defendant joined the Department of Law of the HKU in August 1992. In October 2005, she made the first application for PTA in respect of a flat in Kowloon rented by her. Thereafter she made a fresh application every two years.
When applying for PTA, an applicant has to declare that he or she agrees to abide by the rules and regulations governing the approval of the allowance, including the “live-in-requirement”.
It is alleged that between October 29, 2019 and October 31, 2021, the defendant falsely represented to the HKU that she had complied with the abovementioned “live-in-requirement”, and with intent to defraud, induced the HKU to reimburse her the rent, rates and management charges in the total sum of over $720,000.
The investigation arose from a complaint filed with the ICAC. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, the defendant had all along been residing with her parents at another premises in the New Territories. During the period, a personal friend of the defendant was the sole occupant of the abovementioned flat in Kowloon that was used to apply for PTA.
Had the HKU known that the defendant had not complied with the relevant “live-in-requirement”, it would not have reimbursed any of the amount claimed by the defendant.
The HKU has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.