Ex-councillor assistant charged by ICAC with bribery and fraud over applications for use of Yuen Long community halls
2023-7-3
A then councillor assistant was charged by the ICAC last Friday (June 30) for allegedly accepting bribes totalling $4,000 for assisting a singing club in various applications for the use of community halls/centres and facilities in Yuen Long, and deceiving the Home Affairs Department (HAD) into granting fee exemptions to the club.
Leung Yu-kuen, 63, former councillor assistant, faces 13 charges – eight of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and five of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendant was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 4) for plea.
The offences took place between April 2017 and June 2019. At the material time, the defendant was employed by Chow Wing-kan, Yuen Long District Councillor (2016-2019) as a councillor assistant. Her duties included assisting local organisations in the application for the use of community halls/centres and facilities managed by the Yuen Long District Office (YLDO) of the HAD. Chow did not allow his staff to accept any advantages from any person while carrying out their duties.
According to the guidelines of the YLDO, only eligible organisations, including non-profit-making organisations and offices of Yuen Long District Councillors, could apply for the use of community halls/centres and facilities. These users would be granted fee exemptions if the relevant activities were non-profit making.
It is alleged that the defendant accepted bribes totalling $4,000 from a key member of a singing club for assisting in eight applications for the use of the community halls/centres and facilities in Yuen Long.
In addition, the defendant allegedly caused five of the above applications to be made to the HAD for the use of various community halls/centres and facilities in the name of five eligible organisations when such organisations did not need to use or would not use the relevant community halls/centres, and caused the singing club’s key member to present the relevant approval letters to staff of the HAD, so as to induce the HAD to allow the singing club’s key member to use the community halls/centres and facilities with fee exemption totalling over $16,000.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the singing club was not an eligible organisation for using the community halls/centres and facilities concerned. The HAD would not have approved the five applications and granted the relevant fee exemptions had it known the singing club was the actual user.
The HAD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Leung Yu-kuen, 63, former councillor assistant, faces 13 charges – eight of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and five of fraud, contrary to section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendant was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 4) for plea.
The offences took place between April 2017 and June 2019. At the material time, the defendant was employed by Chow Wing-kan, Yuen Long District Councillor (2016-2019) as a councillor assistant. Her duties included assisting local organisations in the application for the use of community halls/centres and facilities managed by the Yuen Long District Office (YLDO) of the HAD. Chow did not allow his staff to accept any advantages from any person while carrying out their duties.
According to the guidelines of the YLDO, only eligible organisations, including non-profit-making organisations and offices of Yuen Long District Councillors, could apply for the use of community halls/centres and facilities. These users would be granted fee exemptions if the relevant activities were non-profit making.
It is alleged that the defendant accepted bribes totalling $4,000 from a key member of a singing club for assisting in eight applications for the use of the community halls/centres and facilities in Yuen Long.
In addition, the defendant allegedly caused five of the above applications to be made to the HAD for the use of various community halls/centres and facilities in the name of five eligible organisations when such organisations did not need to use or would not use the relevant community halls/centres, and caused the singing club’s key member to present the relevant approval letters to staff of the HAD, so as to induce the HAD to allow the singing club’s key member to use the community halls/centres and facilities with fee exemption totalling over $16,000.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that the singing club was not an eligible organisation for using the community halls/centres and facilities concerned. The HAD would not have approved the five applications and granted the relevant fee exemptions had it known the singing club was the actual user.
The HAD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.