Medical and Health Officer in court for MIPO over medical services for ineligible family members
2018-3-12
A Medical and Health Officer of the Department of Health (DH) appeared in the Kowloon City Magistracy today (March 12) after being charged by the ICAC with misconduct in public office (MIPO) for having arranged medical services for her ineligible family members.
Grace Chui Sing-chi, 53, who was charged last Thursday (March 8), faced one count of MIPO, contrary to Common Law.
No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Ms Woo Huey-fang adjourned the case until April 20 for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the DH. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, the defendant was a Medical and Health Officer of the DH, which has set up elderly health centres in various districts to shorten the waiting time of the elderly for receiving medical services. Only those over the age of 65 or above are eligible for enrolling as members.
The defendant worked as the officer-in-charge of the San Po Kong Elderly Heath Centre, and the only medical officer at the centre.
The charge alleged that between January 19, 2005 and April 14, 2016, the defendant, while holding the post of officer-in-charge of the centre, in the course of or in relation to her public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully and intentionally misconducted herself by:
(i) making or causing staff members of the centre to make false entries on the records of the centre to the effect that her four family members were its members;
(ii) falsely representing to the staff member of the Clinical Pathology Laboratory Centre (CPLC) that nine specimen samples in respect of her four family members which were submitted to the CPLC by the centre were from registered members of the centre who were aged 65 or above and eligible for receiving medical services provided by the centre;
(iii) falsely representing to the staff member of the Public Health Laboratory Centre (PHLC) that the specimen sample in respect of her daughter which was submitted to the PHLC by the centre was from a registered member of the centre who was aged 65 or above and eligible for receiving medical services provided by the centre;
(iv) requiring and causing staff members of the CPLC to conduct laboratory tests to the nine specimen samples and issue reports of the result of tests to her as the officer-in-charge of the centre; and
(v) requiring and causing staff members of the PHLC to conduct laboratory test to the specimen sample and issue a report of the result of test to her as the officer-in-charge of the centre.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $20,000, and ordered not to contact prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly.
The DH had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Derek Cheung.
Grace Chui Sing-chi, 53, who was charged last Thursday (March 8), faced one count of MIPO, contrary to Common Law.
No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Ms Woo Huey-fang adjourned the case until April 20 for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the DH. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, the defendant was a Medical and Health Officer of the DH, which has set up elderly health centres in various districts to shorten the waiting time of the elderly for receiving medical services. Only those over the age of 65 or above are eligible for enrolling as members.
The defendant worked as the officer-in-charge of the San Po Kong Elderly Heath Centre, and the only medical officer at the centre.
The charge alleged that between January 19, 2005 and April 14, 2016, the defendant, while holding the post of officer-in-charge of the centre, in the course of or in relation to her public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully and intentionally misconducted herself by:
(i) making or causing staff members of the centre to make false entries on the records of the centre to the effect that her four family members were its members;
(ii) falsely representing to the staff member of the Clinical Pathology Laboratory Centre (CPLC) that nine specimen samples in respect of her four family members which were submitted to the CPLC by the centre were from registered members of the centre who were aged 65 or above and eligible for receiving medical services provided by the centre;
(iii) falsely representing to the staff member of the Public Health Laboratory Centre (PHLC) that the specimen sample in respect of her daughter which was submitted to the PHLC by the centre was from a registered member of the centre who was aged 65 or above and eligible for receiving medical services provided by the centre;
(iv) requiring and causing staff members of the CPLC to conduct laboratory tests to the nine specimen samples and issue reports of the result of tests to her as the officer-in-charge of the centre; and
(v) requiring and causing staff members of the PHLC to conduct laboratory test to the specimen sample and issue a report of the result of test to her as the officer-in-charge of the centre.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $20,000, and ordered not to contact prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly.
The DH had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Derek Cheung.