Artisan of WSD sentenced for loan fraud revealed in ICAC graft probe
2022-10-10
An Artisan of the Water Supplies Department (WSD), charged by the ICAC, was today (October 10) sentenced at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts for deceiving a former colleague of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) into lending him $20,000, and making false representations that he had repaid over $15,500 to the former colleague. The illegal activities were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation.
Cheung Chuen-hung, 24, Artisan of the WSD, was earlier remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department after pleading guilty to four charges – two of fraud and two of attempted evasion of liability by deception, contrary to Sections 16A and 18B(1)(a) of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun today ordered the defendant to perform 120 hours of community service. The magistrate remarked that a short-term custodial sentence was appropriate for the defendant in view of the nature of offences involved. However, a community service order was imposed on him, having considered that he had been remanded for about three weeks and other mitigating factors.
The court heard that in August 2019, the defendant joined the WSD as an Artisan. Prior to this posting, he was a Technician Trainee II of the EMSD. Upon the defendant’s solicitation, a former colleague in the EMSD provided him with six loans totalling over $36,000 between May 2020 and May 2021.
The defendant admitted that on two occasions between June and November 2020, he had falsely represented to the former colleague that he had paid medical expenses for his mother or needed to pay for a surgery of his mother, and deceived the former colleague into lending him two of the aforesaid loans totalling $20,000.
The defendant also admitted that on two other occasions between April and July 2021, the defendant falsely claimed to the above former colleague that he had transferred a total of over $15,500 to the bank account of the latter for repayment of some of the loans.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charging the defendant.
The EMSD and the WSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Henry Cheung.
Cheung Chuen-hung, 24, Artisan of the WSD, was earlier remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department after pleading guilty to four charges – two of fraud and two of attempted evasion of liability by deception, contrary to Sections 16A and 18B(1)(a) of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun today ordered the defendant to perform 120 hours of community service. The magistrate remarked that a short-term custodial sentence was appropriate for the defendant in view of the nature of offences involved. However, a community service order was imposed on him, having considered that he had been remanded for about three weeks and other mitigating factors.
The court heard that in August 2019, the defendant joined the WSD as an Artisan. Prior to this posting, he was a Technician Trainee II of the EMSD. Upon the defendant’s solicitation, a former colleague in the EMSD provided him with six loans totalling over $36,000 between May 2020 and May 2021.
The defendant admitted that on two occasions between June and November 2020, he had falsely represented to the former colleague that he had paid medical expenses for his mother or needed to pay for a surgery of his mother, and deceived the former colleague into lending him two of the aforesaid loans totalling $20,000.
The defendant also admitted that on two other occasions between April and July 2021, the defendant falsely claimed to the above former colleague that he had transferred a total of over $15,500 to the bank account of the latter for repayment of some of the loans.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Upon completion of the investigation, the ICAC sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, which advised charging the defendant.
The EMSD and the WSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Henry Cheung.