Seven in court for alleged $40,000 sick leave certificates fraud
2014-10-22
Seven former and serving staff members of the Department of Health (DoH) and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) appeared in the Fanling Magistracy today (Wednesday) after being charged by the ICAC for allegedly using false sick leave certificates to deceive sickness allowances and a discretionary bonus totalling over $40,000.
Four of the defendants were Wong Ka-man, 27, a former health surveillance assistant of DoH; Tse Chi-hang, 38, a serving health surveillance assistant of DoH; Lee Wing-ka and Kei Pui-sheung, both 28, former health surveillance assistants of DoH cum serving telebet services assistants of HKJC.
Three other defendants were Cheung Ho-lung, 22, Ng Siu-ming, 44, and So Lai-har, 53, all telebet services assistants of HKJC.
The defendants, who were charged on Monday (October 20) in seven separate cases, faced a total of 80 counts of using false instruments, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
Wong, Lee, Ng and So were each charged with 15 counts of using false instruments, while Kei and Cheung each faced seven similar offences. Tse was laid with six similar offences.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
The charges alleged that between November 2010 and April 2013, the defendants used false sick leave certificates which purported to show that a registered Chinese medicine practitioner had examined them and diagnosed that they were suffering from various illnesses, with the intention of inducing officers of DoH and/or HKJC to accept those certificates as genuine.
The defendants were alleged to have submitted 122 false sick leave certificates involving 188 sick leave days to DoH and HKJC, and obtained sickness allowances and a discretionary bonus totalling over $41,600.
Wong, Lee, Kei, Cheung and So pleaded guilty to their charges today, while Tse and Ng denied their charges. They had their cases adjourned to November 19 or December 3 this year for mention or pre-trial reviews.
DoH and HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Pan Wai-fat.
Four of the defendants were Wong Ka-man, 27, a former health surveillance assistant of DoH; Tse Chi-hang, 38, a serving health surveillance assistant of DoH; Lee Wing-ka and Kei Pui-sheung, both 28, former health surveillance assistants of DoH cum serving telebet services assistants of HKJC.
Three other defendants were Cheung Ho-lung, 22, Ng Siu-ming, 44, and So Lai-har, 53, all telebet services assistants of HKJC.
The defendants, who were charged on Monday (October 20) in seven separate cases, faced a total of 80 counts of using false instruments, contrary to Section 73 of the Crimes Ordinance.
Wong, Lee, Ng and So were each charged with 15 counts of using false instruments, while Kei and Cheung each faced seven similar offences. Tse was laid with six similar offences.
The cases arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
The charges alleged that between November 2010 and April 2013, the defendants used false sick leave certificates which purported to show that a registered Chinese medicine practitioner had examined them and diagnosed that they were suffering from various illnesses, with the intention of inducing officers of DoH and/or HKJC to accept those certificates as genuine.
The defendants were alleged to have submitted 122 false sick leave certificates involving 188 sick leave days to DoH and HKJC, and obtained sickness allowances and a discretionary bonus totalling over $41,600.
Wong, Lee, Kei, Cheung and So pleaded guilty to their charges today, while Tse and Ng denied their charges. They had their cases adjourned to November 19 or December 3 this year for mention or pre-trial reviews.
DoH and HKJC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Pan Wai-fat.