Chinese medicine practitioner admits issuing 650 false sick leave certificates
2015-6-5
A Chinese medicine practitioner (CMP), charged by the ICAC, admitted at the Fanling Magistracy today (Friday) that he had issued 652 false sick leave certificates to 14 then staff members of either the Department of Health (DoH) or the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) for deceiving sickness allowances and/or discretionary bonuses totalling about $92,000.
Chan Tung, 60, a registered CMP, today pleaded guilty to 14 counts of conspiracy to use false instruments, contrary to Sections 73 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance, while the prosecution offered no evidence to four similar offences against him.
Magistrate Wong Wai-kuen adjourned the case to June 22 for sentence, pending a background report.
Remanding the defendant in custody of the Correctional Services Department, the magistrate forewarned that a custodial sentence would be unavoidable.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a registered CMP practising at Tung Yan Chinese Medicine Company in Tai Po.
Between November 2010 and April 2013, the defendant sold a total of 652 certificates for sick leave signed by him to 14 persons, including three then health surveillance assistants (HSAs) of the DoH and 11 then telebet services assistants (TSAs) of the HKJC.
Without conducting any medical consultation, the defendant accepted “orders” for certificates of sick leave being placed by phone or through telephone text messages.
Afterwards, he delivered certificates for sick leave to his “customers” in the vicinity of MTR Tai Po Market Station or the podium of a public housing estate in Tai Po.
By selling the certificates for sick leave at $30 each, the defendant obtained $19,560 in total, the court was told.
As a result of the conspiracies, the DoH was induced to grant sickness allowances totalling over $30,200 to those HSAs, while the HKJC was induced to grant those TSAs sickness allowances and/or discretionary bonuses totalling about $62,000.
The 14 HSAs and TSAs, who were also charged by the ICAC for their roles in the scams, earlier pleaded guilty to multiple counts of using false instruments. They had their cases adjourned to July 28 and August 10 for mention respectively.
The DoH and the HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Susanna Ku, assisted by ICAC officer Patrick Yu.
Chan Tung, 60, a registered CMP, today pleaded guilty to 14 counts of conspiracy to use false instruments, contrary to Sections 73 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance, while the prosecution offered no evidence to four similar offences against him.
Magistrate Wong Wai-kuen adjourned the case to June 22 for sentence, pending a background report.
Remanding the defendant in custody of the Correctional Services Department, the magistrate forewarned that a custodial sentence would be unavoidable.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a registered CMP practising at Tung Yan Chinese Medicine Company in Tai Po.
Between November 2010 and April 2013, the defendant sold a total of 652 certificates for sick leave signed by him to 14 persons, including three then health surveillance assistants (HSAs) of the DoH and 11 then telebet services assistants (TSAs) of the HKJC.
Without conducting any medical consultation, the defendant accepted “orders” for certificates of sick leave being placed by phone or through telephone text messages.
Afterwards, he delivered certificates for sick leave to his “customers” in the vicinity of MTR Tai Po Market Station or the podium of a public housing estate in Tai Po.
By selling the certificates for sick leave at $30 each, the defendant obtained $19,560 in total, the court was told.
As a result of the conspiracies, the DoH was induced to grant sickness allowances totalling over $30,200 to those HSAs, while the HKJC was induced to grant those TSAs sickness allowances and/or discretionary bonuses totalling about $62,000.
The 14 HSAs and TSAs, who were also charged by the ICAC for their roles in the scams, earlier pleaded guilty to multiple counts of using false instruments. They had their cases adjourned to July 28 and August 10 for mention respectively.
The DoH and the HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Susanna Ku, assisted by ICAC officer Patrick Yu.