The ICAC has charged 10 former staff of a cleaning contractor of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for allegedly conspiring to defraud the Department in relation to wages paid to cleaning workers and the subcontracting of FEHD rodent an d pest control contracts in 10 districts.

The defendants are Chan Kam-man Barry, 46, and Kot Ka-kui, 56; both former contract managers of Centuryan Services Limited (Centuryan).

Also charged in the same case are Po Chau-yin, 44, Chung Fuk, 39; Ho Ka-wo, 49; Po Ka-chun, 30, Chau Chun-hong, 41; Kui Wai-chung, 42; Cheung Pui-ying, 49; and Lau Ka-wai, 36; all former foremen of Centuryan.

They face a total of 18 counts of conspiracy to defraud, and will appear at Eastern Magistracy at 9:30 am on August 20, 2007 (Monday).

The case arose from corruption complaints. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the alleged fraud offences.

The charges alleged that the defendants had conspired together to defraud FEHD by concealing from or failing to disclose to FEHD the true wages of foremen and workers under the respective FEHD contracts.

ICAC investigation revealed that while workers were paid the wages stipulated in the FEHD contracts, subsequently the defendants had allegedly demanded the workers to return part of their wages purportedly to the cleaning company.

The charges also alleged the defendants of concealing the fact that part of the service contracts concerned had been or were to be sub-contracted to other persons.

Their alleged fraudulent acts had thereby caused FEHD not to take proper action against Centuryan, including the right to terminate the said contracts.

The alleged offences took place between December 2004 and March 2006.

The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Monday.