Ex-IO member admits using false cash memos to claim works payment revealed in ICAC graft probe
2023-3-27
A then member of the Incorporated Owners (IO) of a private residential building in Sham Shui Po, charged by the ICAC, today (March 27) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had used false cash memos to claim works payment of over $10,000 from the IO. The offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the ICAC.
Wong Suk-wing, 49, then member of the IO of Cheong Yuen Building, pleaded guilty to four counts of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to April 24 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
The court heard that in early 2019, the IO of Cheong Yuen Building appointed the defendant, who was its member, to obtain quotations from contractors for the replacement of four fire doors. The defendant proposed to engage a friend to repair the doors at $12,000 instead of replacing them. The IO agreed and subcontracted the works to the defendant.
Upon completion of the works, the IO requested the defendant to provide the relevant cash memos certified by him for processing the works payment. In March 2019, the defendant submitted three cash memos purportedly issued by three building material suppliers in the total sum of over $10,000 to the IO to claim the works payment.
The IO subsequently found a discrepancy between the Chinese characters and the Arabic numerals in one of the cash memos. After being requested by the IO to confirm the amount involved, the defendant submitted another cash memo to the IO.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four cash memos contained false information. The issuing dates or the monetary values on some of the memos were altered. Had the IO known that the contents of the memos were false, it would not have made the payment.
The IO of Cheong Yuen Building had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Hay Yip.
Wong Suk-wing, 49, then member of the IO of Cheong Yuen Building, pleaded guilty to four counts of using a false instrument, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to April 24 for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
The court heard that in early 2019, the IO of Cheong Yuen Building appointed the defendant, who was its member, to obtain quotations from contractors for the replacement of four fire doors. The defendant proposed to engage a friend to repair the doors at $12,000 instead of replacing them. The IO agreed and subcontracted the works to the defendant.
Upon completion of the works, the IO requested the defendant to provide the relevant cash memos certified by him for processing the works payment. In March 2019, the defendant submitted three cash memos purportedly issued by three building material suppliers in the total sum of over $10,000 to the IO to claim the works payment.
The IO subsequently found a discrepancy between the Chinese characters and the Arabic numerals in one of the cash memos. After being requested by the IO to confirm the amount involved, the defendant submitted another cash memo to the IO.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the four cash memos contained false information. The issuing dates or the monetary values on some of the memos were altered. Had the IO known that the contents of the memos were false, it would not have made the payment.
The IO of Cheong Yuen Building had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Hay Yip.