A foreman of a nightshift gully emptying team of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment for having conspired with his colleagues to defraud the government with false work records.

Appearing at North Kowloon Court this (Thursday) afternoon, Kwok Kam-hoi, 46, was found guilty of one count of conspiring with driver Tsang Kam-fai and others to defraud the Hong Kong Government between June 1998 and January 1999.

The defendant was said to have falsely represented that gully emptying duties had been carried out in accordance with the work procedures of the FEHD, previously known as the Urban Services Department (USD).

In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Sham Siu-man said the offence committed by the defendant revealed a breach of trust, rather than mere laziness.

The court heard that the defendant was in charge of one of the gully emptying teams.

Instead of supervising the gully cleansing work, he idled at the Sai Yee Street Depot of the then USD during most duty nights.

He instructed the drivers to make superficial journeys unconnected with his duty, and to fill up the gully emptier with tap water.

The court also heard that after discharging tap water at the Western Kowloon Refuse Transfer Station, the drivers made false entries on the vehicle log book. The defendant had signed on the log book to certify that the records were true.

Meanwhile, two other FEHD foremen were earlier convicted of similar offences, and would be sentenced on November 3 and November 6 respectively.

The prosecution was today represented by Leslie Yeung on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Allen Ting.