WSD Workman charged by ICAC admits accepting $570,000 unauthorised loans from colleagues
2023-3-10
A Workman of the Water Supplies Department (WSD), charged by the ICAC, today (March 10) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had accepted various unauthorised loans totalling about $570,000 from six colleagues over a span of about one and a half years.
Cheung Lap-kan, 34, Workman II of the WSD, pleaded guilty to 26 counts of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung adjourned the case to March 31 for sentence, pending the defendant’s community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail. The magistrate added that he would consider imposing a custodial sentence on the defendant in view of the substantial amount of loans involved and the serious nature of the offences concerned.
The court heard that the defendant joined the WSD as Workman II in August 2019, earning a monthly salary of around $14,000. At the material time, the defendant was posted to the Cheung Sha Wan Office. He reported to Works Supervisor II and was responsible for assisting artisans in water repair works.
On various occasions between March 2021 and September 2022, the defendant borrowed money from six WSD colleagues for various purported urgent purposes, including settling surgery fees and repaying debts of his family members, making repayments to and redeeming his property from money lenders, etc.
He eventually accepted 26 loans totalling about $570,000 from the six colleagues, namely two Workmen II, two Artisans, a Clerical Assistant and a Works Supervisor II, who was his supervisor.
The ICAC investigation arose from a referral by the WSD. Enquiries revealed that the defendant had borrowed $5,000 to $355,000 from each of the colleagues, and he had never sought the permission for accepting those loans pursuant to the relevant government regulation – the Acceptance of Advantages (Chief Executive’s Permission) Notice. It was also revealed that the defendant had not repaid most of the loans to the six colleagues.
The WSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutor Timothy Chen, assisted by ICAC officer William Wong.
Cheung Lap-kan, 34, Workman II of the WSD, pleaded guilty to 26 counts of prescribed officer accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 3 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung adjourned the case to March 31 for sentence, pending the defendant’s community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail. The magistrate added that he would consider imposing a custodial sentence on the defendant in view of the substantial amount of loans involved and the serious nature of the offences concerned.
The court heard that the defendant joined the WSD as Workman II in August 2019, earning a monthly salary of around $14,000. At the material time, the defendant was posted to the Cheung Sha Wan Office. He reported to Works Supervisor II and was responsible for assisting artisans in water repair works.
On various occasions between March 2021 and September 2022, the defendant borrowed money from six WSD colleagues for various purported urgent purposes, including settling surgery fees and repaying debts of his family members, making repayments to and redeeming his property from money lenders, etc.
He eventually accepted 26 loans totalling about $570,000 from the six colleagues, namely two Workmen II, two Artisans, a Clerical Assistant and a Works Supervisor II, who was his supervisor.
The ICAC investigation arose from a referral by the WSD. Enquiries revealed that the defendant had borrowed $5,000 to $355,000 from each of the colleagues, and he had never sought the permission for accepting those loans pursuant to the relevant government regulation – the Acceptance of Advantages (Chief Executive’s Permission) Notice. It was also revealed that the defendant had not repaid most of the loans to the six colleagues.
The WSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Public Prosecutor Timothy Chen, assisted by ICAC officer William Wong.