Two years’ jail for $1.7m salary overclaims from Professional Teachers’ Union
2013-2-22
Two directors of an optometric company, charged by the ICAC, were today (Friday) each jailed for two years at the District Court for making overclaims of about $1.7 million in salary payments from the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union (HKPTU).
Law Wai-kin, 47, and Look Chi-wah, 46, both directors of From Fair Development Limited (FFDL), were earlier found guilty of a joint charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
In sentencing, Judge Sham Siu-man reprimanded the defendants for using fraudulent means to deceive salary payments from HKPTU for a long period of time.
The judge added that in view of the seriousness of the offence, the court had to mete out immediate custodial sentences to them.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above fraud offence.
The court heard that at the material time, FFDL was entrusted by HKPTU to operate two optometric centres in Causeway Bay and Mongkok.
Being directors of FFDL, Law was the person-in-charge of the centre in Mongkok, while Look was the person-in-charge of another centre in Causeway Bay.
Between December 2004 and May 2011, the defendants falsely represented to HKPTU that FFDL had engaged a part-time optometrist and three part-time optometry students to work at the centre in Mongkok or Causeway Bay.
In fact, these four part-time optometry staff members had never been employed at either of the centres at the material time, the court heard.
During the same period, the defendants also inflated the actual working hours of six part-time optometrists and 16 part-time optometry students; the hourly rates of the 16 part-time optometry students; and the monthly salaries of seven full-time optometri sts engaged by FFDL to work at the centre in Mongkok or Causeway Bay.
With intent to defraud, the defendants submitted a total of 78 claim forms to HKPTU for reimbursement of staff salaries, and induced HKPTU to pay FFDL sums totalling about $1.7 million in excess of the actual salary expenses incurred by FFDL, the court wa s told.
HKPTU had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Bernard Yuen, assisted by ICAC officer Jennie Sum.
Law Wai-kin, 47, and Look Chi-wah, 46, both directors of From Fair Development Limited (FFDL), were earlier found guilty of a joint charge of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
In sentencing, Judge Sham Siu-man reprimanded the defendants for using fraudulent means to deceive salary payments from HKPTU for a long period of time.
The judge added that in view of the seriousness of the offence, the court had to mete out immediate custodial sentences to them.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above fraud offence.
The court heard that at the material time, FFDL was entrusted by HKPTU to operate two optometric centres in Causeway Bay and Mongkok.
Being directors of FFDL, Law was the person-in-charge of the centre in Mongkok, while Look was the person-in-charge of another centre in Causeway Bay.
Between December 2004 and May 2011, the defendants falsely represented to HKPTU that FFDL had engaged a part-time optometrist and three part-time optometry students to work at the centre in Mongkok or Causeway Bay.
In fact, these four part-time optometry staff members had never been employed at either of the centres at the material time, the court heard.
During the same period, the defendants also inflated the actual working hours of six part-time optometrists and 16 part-time optometry students; the hourly rates of the 16 part-time optometry students; and the monthly salaries of seven full-time optometri sts engaged by FFDL to work at the centre in Mongkok or Causeway Bay.
With intent to defraud, the defendants submitted a total of 78 claim forms to HKPTU for reimbursement of staff salaries, and induced HKPTU to pay FFDL sums totalling about $1.7 million in excess of the actual salary expenses incurred by FFDL, the court wa s told.
HKPTU had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Bernard Yuen, assisted by ICAC officer Jennie Sum.