Ex-General Manager of HA charged with MIPO over $3m procurement
2020-6-24
A then General Manager of the Hospital Authority (HA) has been charged by the ICAC today (June 24) with misconduct in public office (MIPO) for failing to declare her conflicts of interest and made false declarations when handling goods procurement exercises worth $3 million from a trading company owned by her close personal friend.
Maria Chui Yeuk-ping, 63, then General Manager (Nursing Services) of the HA, faces one count of MIPO, contrary to Common Law.
The defendant will appear at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (June 26) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, the defendant was a General Manager (Nursing Services) of the HA posted to Shatin Hospital and Bradbury Hospice under the New Territories East Cluster. She was authorised to approve procurement applications, evaluate related offers and recommend suppliers to the HA.
The charge alleges that between October 16, 2012 and February 7, 2017, the defendant, being the holder of a public office, namely General Manager (Nursing Services), wilfully misconducted herself in the course of or in relation to her public office, without reasonable excuse or justification.
The defendant has allegedly failed to declare to the HA conflicts of interest arising from her close personal friendship and financial dealings with a businesswoman when she suggested the HA to obtain quotations for the supply of goods from a trading company solely owned by the businesswoman who had a direct financial interest in it.
The defendant is also alleged to have falsely declared to the HA that she had no conflicts of interest with the aforesaid trading company at the time of recommending it for supply of goods and in the Annual Declaration when the businesswoman had a direct financial interest in the company and had a close personal friendship and financial dealings with the defendant.
It is alleged that the HA had released payments totalling over $3 million to the aforesaid trading company in 16 goods procurement exercises.
Had the HA known that the defendant and the businesswoman had a close personal relationship and financial dealings, it would not have processed those procurement exercises and released the payments to the company.
The HA has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending her court appearance on Friday.
Maria Chui Yeuk-ping, 63, then General Manager (Nursing Services) of the HA, faces one count of MIPO, contrary to Common Law.
The defendant will appear at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts on Friday (June 26) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, the defendant was a General Manager (Nursing Services) of the HA posted to Shatin Hospital and Bradbury Hospice under the New Territories East Cluster. She was authorised to approve procurement applications, evaluate related offers and recommend suppliers to the HA.
The charge alleges that between October 16, 2012 and February 7, 2017, the defendant, being the holder of a public office, namely General Manager (Nursing Services), wilfully misconducted herself in the course of or in relation to her public office, without reasonable excuse or justification.
The defendant has allegedly failed to declare to the HA conflicts of interest arising from her close personal friendship and financial dealings with a businesswoman when she suggested the HA to obtain quotations for the supply of goods from a trading company solely owned by the businesswoman who had a direct financial interest in it.
The defendant is also alleged to have falsely declared to the HA that she had no conflicts of interest with the aforesaid trading company at the time of recommending it for supply of goods and in the Annual Declaration when the businesswoman had a direct financial interest in the company and had a close personal friendship and financial dealings with the defendant.
It is alleged that the HA had released payments totalling over $3 million to the aforesaid trading company in 16 goods procurement exercises.
Had the HA known that the defendant and the businesswoman had a close personal relationship and financial dealings, it would not have processed those procurement exercises and released the payments to the company.
The HA has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending her court appearance on Friday.