Ex-postal worker jailed for deceiving 632 days of sick leave
2012-12-20
A former contract worker of the Hongkong Post (HK Post), charged by the ICAC, was today (Thursday) sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment at the District Court for using 130 false medical certificates to deceive 632 days of sick leave and make personal gains totalling over $217,000.
Tang Lai-kit, 40, earlier pleaded guilty to a total of 39 sample charges –'96 32 of using false instruments, one of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, three of possessing false instruments, and three of using a copy of a false instrument.
In sentencing, Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che reprimanded the defendant for premeditating the plan to deceive sick leave with false medical certificates for a period of over two years.
The judge said the offences committed by the defendant were of a serious nature, thus warranting a custodial sentence.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by HK Post. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the material times, the defendant was employed by HK Post as a contract worker posted to the Indoor Sorting Office of the General Post Office in Central. He earned a daily wage of $335 to $359.
Between December 2009 and January this year, the defendant submitted to HK Post 30 medical certificates purportedly issued by two doctors, which falsely stated that he was suffering from back pain as well as anxiety disorder as a result of the injury of h is left finger.
In fact, the defendant had submitted to HK Post a total of 130 medical certificates purportedly issued by the two doctors during the period, including the above 30 fake certificates.
In the belief that the medical certificates were genuine, HK Post granted the defendant 632 days of sick leave and released over $217,000 to his bank account, the court heard.
In view of the defendant’s prolonged sick leave, HK Post asked him to attend a medical board in order to assess the status of his health and the progress of his rehabilitation, and sought his consent to obtain medical reports from the two doctors. But the request was turned down by him.
Instead, the defendant submitted to HK Post two letters of consent purportedly issued by the two doctors, which falsely stated that they had authorised HK Post to use three medical reports for the purpose of the medical board.
The said three medical reports purportedly issued by the two doctors were then faxed to HK Post by the defendant.
The medical board suspected that the defendant might have used false medical certificates to deceive HK Post. As advised by the medical board, HK Post referred the case to the ICAC for investigation.
In January this year, the defendant was arrested. In a search of his residence, ICAC officers recovered the above three medical reports, over 900 blank medical certificates and two stamps of the two doctors.
When interviewed under caution by ICAC officers, the defendant admitted that he had purchased the blank medical certificates and stamps of the two doctors from a shopping website on the Mainland, the court was told.
HK Post had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Wong Po-wing, assisted by ICAC officer Thomas Ho.
Tang Lai-kit, 40, earlier pleaded guilty to a total of 39 sample charges –'96 32 of using false instruments, one of possessing equipment for making a false instrument, three of possessing false instruments, and three of using a copy of a false instrument.
In sentencing, Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che reprimanded the defendant for premeditating the plan to deceive sick leave with false medical certificates for a period of over two years.
The judge said the offences committed by the defendant were of a serious nature, thus warranting a custodial sentence.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by HK Post. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the material times, the defendant was employed by HK Post as a contract worker posted to the Indoor Sorting Office of the General Post Office in Central. He earned a daily wage of $335 to $359.
Between December 2009 and January this year, the defendant submitted to HK Post 30 medical certificates purportedly issued by two doctors, which falsely stated that he was suffering from back pain as well as anxiety disorder as a result of the injury of h is left finger.
In fact, the defendant had submitted to HK Post a total of 130 medical certificates purportedly issued by the two doctors during the period, including the above 30 fake certificates.
In the belief that the medical certificates were genuine, HK Post granted the defendant 632 days of sick leave and released over $217,000 to his bank account, the court heard.
In view of the defendant’s prolonged sick leave, HK Post asked him to attend a medical board in order to assess the status of his health and the progress of his rehabilitation, and sought his consent to obtain medical reports from the two doctors. But the request was turned down by him.
Instead, the defendant submitted to HK Post two letters of consent purportedly issued by the two doctors, which falsely stated that they had authorised HK Post to use three medical reports for the purpose of the medical board.
The said three medical reports purportedly issued by the two doctors were then faxed to HK Post by the defendant.
The medical board suspected that the defendant might have used false medical certificates to deceive HK Post. As advised by the medical board, HK Post referred the case to the ICAC for investigation.
In January this year, the defendant was arrested. In a search of his residence, ICAC officers recovered the above three medical reports, over 900 blank medical certificates and two stamps of the two doctors.
When interviewed under caution by ICAC officers, the defendant admitted that he had purchased the blank medical certificates and stamps of the two doctors from a shopping website on the Mainland, the court was told.
HK Post had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Wong Po-wing, assisted by ICAC officer Thomas Ho.