HKU Assistant Professor's wife charged over alleged housing fraud
2000-2-3
The wife of an Assistant Professor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was charged by the ICAC for allegedly assisting her husband to use false declarations to obtain housing allowances totalling $2.5 million.
Yiu Lai-ha, 41, housewife, appeared in Eastern Court today (Thursday) to face seven charges. Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case until February 17, 2000, pending transfer to District Court.
Five of the charges alleged that Yiu had aided and abetted, procured and counselled her husband, Hau Kam-chor, to use applications for Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) in relation to a property at Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan, which contained false statements t o mislead the university between July 1989 and June 1997.
Hau, 48, of the university's Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, was accused of having falsely declared on these applications that the said property was not owned by him or his spouse and that neither he, his spouse nor any of his spouse's r elations had a financial interest in the leased property.
It was alleged that the property was owned by a company controlled by his spouse.
The remaining two charges alleged that on June 23, 1998, Yiu had used a false Instrument of Transfer and a false Sold Note dated October 1, 1997 for transfer of the company from Hau'sgrandmother to herself.
Hau was charged with five counts of using false documents with intent to deceive his principal under Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He would appear in court on March 24, 2000 for trial.
The ICAC investigated the case following a corruption complaint. During the investigation, the university had rendered full assistance.
Yiu was released on cash bail of $100,000. She was also ordered to surrender her travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Li Wai-keung.
Yiu Lai-ha, 41, housewife, appeared in Eastern Court today (Thursday) to face seven charges. Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case until February 17, 2000, pending transfer to District Court.
Five of the charges alleged that Yiu had aided and abetted, procured and counselled her husband, Hau Kam-chor, to use applications for Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) in relation to a property at Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan, which contained false statements t o mislead the university between July 1989 and June 1997.
Hau, 48, of the university's Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, was accused of having falsely declared on these applications that the said property was not owned by him or his spouse and that neither he, his spouse nor any of his spouse's r elations had a financial interest in the leased property.
It was alleged that the property was owned by a company controlled by his spouse.
The remaining two charges alleged that on June 23, 1998, Yiu had used a false Instrument of Transfer and a false Sold Note dated October 1, 1997 for transfer of the company from Hau'sgrandmother to herself.
Hau was charged with five counts of using false documents with intent to deceive his principal under Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. He would appear in court on March 24, 2000 for trial.
The ICAC investigated the case following a corruption complaint. During the investigation, the university had rendered full assistance.
Yiu was released on cash bail of $100,000. She was also ordered to surrender her travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Li Wai-keung.