Ex-foreman of contractor admits fraud over MTR cleaners’ false attendance
2019-12-16
A former foreman of a cleaning service contractor, charged by the ICAC, today (December 16) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistracy that he had defrauded MTR Corporation Limited (MTR Corporation) of service payment by falsifying attendance records of cleaners.
Ng Siu-ping, 56, former foreman of Winson Cleaning Service Company Limited (Winson), pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
Magistrate Ms Winnie Lau Yee-wan adjourned the case to January 13 next year for sentence, pending a community service order report. The defendant was granted bail.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offence.
The court heard that at the material time, Winson was engaged by MTR Corporation to provide cleaning service at Nam Cheong Station. Winson was required to provide one foreman and 10 cleaners to work at the station for each night shift. The defendant was Winson’s foreman posted to the station.
Should Winson fail to provide sufficient manpower, its cleaning service payments would be deducted and future contracts with MTR Corporation could be affected.
The defendant and all cleaners were required to sign on a monthly attendance book when they reported on and off duty. The defendant was also required to submit to MTR Corporation a declaration form which listed out the names of cleaners on duty on each night shift.
The court heard that the name and signature of a cleaner who ceased to work at the station since early March 2017 continued to appear on the monthly attendance books for eight specific nights between mid-March and late April 2017.
The name and signature of another cleaner who was not on duty on one specific night also appeared on the attendance book for March.
Meanwhile, MTR Corporation received the corresponding declarations submitted by the defendant indicating that the two cleaners were on duty on the eight dates specified.
Based on the information stated on the monthly attendance books and the declaration forms, MTR Corporation had not discovered any shortfall of cleaners on those dates. Relevant wages of the two cleaners totalling $3,375 were hence not deducted from Winson’s cleaning service payment.
MTR Corporation had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Winnie Fung.
Ng Siu-ping, 56, former foreman of Winson Cleaning Service Company Limited (Winson), pleaded guilty to one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
Magistrate Ms Winnie Lau Yee-wan adjourned the case to January 13 next year for sentence, pending a community service order report. The defendant was granted bail.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offence.
The court heard that at the material time, Winson was engaged by MTR Corporation to provide cleaning service at Nam Cheong Station. Winson was required to provide one foreman and 10 cleaners to work at the station for each night shift. The defendant was Winson’s foreman posted to the station.
Should Winson fail to provide sufficient manpower, its cleaning service payments would be deducted and future contracts with MTR Corporation could be affected.
The defendant and all cleaners were required to sign on a monthly attendance book when they reported on and off duty. The defendant was also required to submit to MTR Corporation a declaration form which listed out the names of cleaners on duty on each night shift.
The court heard that the name and signature of a cleaner who ceased to work at the station since early March 2017 continued to appear on the monthly attendance books for eight specific nights between mid-March and late April 2017.
The name and signature of another cleaner who was not on duty on one specific night also appeared on the attendance book for March.
Meanwhile, MTR Corporation received the corresponding declarations submitted by the defendant indicating that the two cleaners were on duty on the eight dates specified.
Based on the information stated on the monthly attendance books and the declaration forms, MTR Corporation had not discovered any shortfall of cleaners on those dates. Relevant wages of the two cleaners totalling $3,375 were hence not deducted from Winson’s cleaning service payment.
MTR Corporation had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Winnie Fung.