Chairman of North District Council faces ICAC charges over alleged false claims for rental reimbursements
2005-9-22
The Chairman of the North District Council (NDC) has been arrested and charged by the ICAC for allegedly making false claims for reimbursements of rental expenses in relation to his ward office, totalling over $129,000, from the Government.
Li Kwok-fung, 53, Chairman of both NDC and Fanling District Rural Committee (FDRC), will appear before Fanling Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Friday) on two counts of fraud.
The alleged offences took place between January 2000 and July 2002 when Li was a Councillor of NDC. He was elected Chairman of NDC in January 2004.
Also charged in the same case is Tang Kun-nin, 51, a former North District Councillor.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent inquiries revealed the alleged fraudulent scam.
Li is charged with one count of fraud, which alleges him of falsely representing to the NDC Secretariat that he had incurred rental expenses, totalling $145,000, as stated in rental receipts purportedly issued by FDRC.
Li is alleged to have induced the NDC Secretariat to reimburse him a total sum of $129,027 between January 2000 and May 2002.
ICAC investigation reveals that FDRC had not leased the premises to Li, nor had it received any rental from Li.
Li and Tang jointly face another fraud charge, which alleges them of falsely representing to the NDC Secretariat that Tang had incurred rental expenses totalling $39,000 in relation to another FDRC premises, as stated in rental receipts purportedly issued by FDRC.
The duo are said to have induced the NDC Secretariat to reimburse Tang, then a North District Councillor, a total sum of $30,000 between September 2001 and June 2002.
It is suspected that under an agreement between the defendants, they were to take turns to pay the rental for the above premises, which was mainly used by Tang as his ward office.
Li allegedly failed to pay the rental due to him for six months. He nevertheless allegedly assisted in issuing false FDRC rental receipts to facilitate Tang to claim reimbursements from the Government.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.
Li Kwok-fung, 53, Chairman of both NDC and Fanling District Rural Committee (FDRC), will appear before Fanling Magistracy at 9:30 am tomorrow (Friday) on two counts of fraud.
The alleged offences took place between January 2000 and July 2002 when Li was a Councillor of NDC. He was elected Chairman of NDC in January 2004.
Also charged in the same case is Tang Kun-nin, 51, a former North District Councillor.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent inquiries revealed the alleged fraudulent scam.
Li is charged with one count of fraud, which alleges him of falsely representing to the NDC Secretariat that he had incurred rental expenses, totalling $145,000, as stated in rental receipts purportedly issued by FDRC.
Li is alleged to have induced the NDC Secretariat to reimburse him a total sum of $129,027 between January 2000 and May 2002.
ICAC investigation reveals that FDRC had not leased the premises to Li, nor had it received any rental from Li.
Li and Tang jointly face another fraud charge, which alleges them of falsely representing to the NDC Secretariat that Tang had incurred rental expenses totalling $39,000 in relation to another FDRC premises, as stated in rental receipts purportedly issued by FDRC.
The duo are said to have induced the NDC Secretariat to reimburse Tang, then a North District Councillor, a total sum of $30,000 between September 2001 and June 2002.
It is suspected that under an agreement between the defendants, they were to take turns to pay the rental for the above premises, which was mainly used by Tang as his ward office.
Li allegedly failed to pay the rental due to him for six months. He nevertheless allegedly assisted in issuing false FDRC rental receipts to facilitate Tang to claim reimbursements from the Government.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.