Eight education fund members charged for allegedly misleading ICAC over $2 million theft
2001-7-16
Eight members of an education fund were today (Monday) charged by the ICAC for allegedly misleading the ICAC during its investigation into a suspected corruption case involving the theft of more than $2 million from the fund.
The eight defendants, who were members of a committee controlling the Cheng's Educational Fund Limited (CEFL), were chairman Cheng Wing-chun, 69, treasurer Cheng Kin-ping, 55, members Malinda Lam Wah-lam, 49, Cheng Sum, 82, Cheng Hak-hee, 76, Cheng Ming-k eung, 57, Cheng Ho-ming, 67, and Cheng Hung-kan, 47.
They will appear at 9:30 am in Kowloon City Court this Thursday (July 19) to face a joint charge of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice.
The case originated from a corruption complaint, alleging that the treasurer of the fund had offered bribes to its chairman to connive at the theft of funds. ICAC enquiries revealed the alleged perversion and theft offences.
The perversion charge alleges that the eight defendants had informed the ICAC by a letter dated December 15, 1999 that:
- a meeting was held on March 26, 1998 by them and that during the meeting, it was agreed that Cheng Kin-ping was entrusted to manage part of the funds of CEFL, namely, $2.2 million, when there was no such agreement reached at such meeting; and
- thereby falsely representing to the ICAC that the sum of $2.2 million was entrusted to Cheng Kin-ping with the consent of CEFL.
Cheng Kin-ping and Lam were further jointly charged with three counts of theft.
The charges alleges that Cheng Kin-ping and Lam had stolen a total of $2,290,000 deposited by CEFL at Liu Chong Hing Bank Limited.
Cheng Kin-ping and Cheng Wing-chun faced a similar joint charge of stealing $60,000 from CEFL.
The alleged offences took place between March 27, 1998 and December 22, 1999.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Thursday.
The eight defendants, who were members of a committee controlling the Cheng's Educational Fund Limited (CEFL), were chairman Cheng Wing-chun, 69, treasurer Cheng Kin-ping, 55, members Malinda Lam Wah-lam, 49, Cheng Sum, 82, Cheng Hak-hee, 76, Cheng Ming-k eung, 57, Cheng Ho-ming, 67, and Cheng Hung-kan, 47.
They will appear at 9:30 am in Kowloon City Court this Thursday (July 19) to face a joint charge of doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice.
The case originated from a corruption complaint, alleging that the treasurer of the fund had offered bribes to its chairman to connive at the theft of funds. ICAC enquiries revealed the alleged perversion and theft offences.
The perversion charge alleges that the eight defendants had informed the ICAC by a letter dated December 15, 1999 that:
- a meeting was held on March 26, 1998 by them and that during the meeting, it was agreed that Cheng Kin-ping was entrusted to manage part of the funds of CEFL, namely, $2.2 million, when there was no such agreement reached at such meeting; and
- thereby falsely representing to the ICAC that the sum of $2.2 million was entrusted to Cheng Kin-ping with the consent of CEFL.
Cheng Kin-ping and Lam were further jointly charged with three counts of theft.
The charges alleges that Cheng Kin-ping and Lam had stolen a total of $2,290,000 deposited by CEFL at Liu Chong Hing Bank Limited.
Cheng Kin-ping and Cheng Wing-chun faced a similar joint charge of stealing $60,000 from CEFL.
The alleged offences took place between March 27, 1998 and December 22, 1999.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Thursday.