Assistant Manager of LCSD turning up late for work in COVID-19 charged by ICAC over false attendance records
2022-6-14
An Assistant Manager of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) was charged by the ICAC today (June 14) for allegedly using false attendance records with altered clock-in entries to cover up her late for work for a total of around 30 hours in four months during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The ICAC investigation arose from a complaint referred by the LCSD alleging breaches of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO). Upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice after completion of the investigation, the Assistant Manager was charged with four counts of agent using document with intent to deceive her principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO.
Tsang Lai-ping, 41, was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (June 16) for plea.
At the material time, the defendant was posted to the Cultural Presentations Section (the Section). She was required to report for duty at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 9:30 am five days a week to organise theatre shows. Since late November 2020, her reporting time was changed to 10 am following LCSD’s implementation of flexible duty hours under the COVID-19 epidemic.
If staff members of the Section were late for work, the LCSD might take disciplinary actions against them and make salary deductions in accordance with the Civil Service Regulation.
The charges allege that the defendant, with intent to deceive the LCSD, used four monthly attendance records of October 2020 to January 2021 containing false statements in which her reporting time in a total of 27 entries had been altered so that they appeared earlier than the actual times she clocked in.
ICAC inquiries revealed that the defendant was late for work for a total of around 30 hours on 27 occasions in the above four months. The reporting times in the 27 entries were on average advanced by one hour, while one of them was even altered to appear two hours early. Based on the monthly attendance records submitted by the defendant, the LCSD had failed to deduct a total of over $9,700 from her salary payments.
The LCSD has rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.
An ICAC spokesperson reminds civil servants to uphold a high standard of integrity and abide by the law at all times, so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service.
The ICAC investigation arose from a complaint referred by the LCSD alleging breaches of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO). Upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice after completion of the investigation, the Assistant Manager was charged with four counts of agent using document with intent to deceive her principal, contrary to Section 9(3) of the POBO.
Tsang Lai-ping, 41, was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday (June 16) for plea.
At the material time, the defendant was posted to the Cultural Presentations Section (the Section). She was required to report for duty at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 9:30 am five days a week to organise theatre shows. Since late November 2020, her reporting time was changed to 10 am following LCSD’s implementation of flexible duty hours under the COVID-19 epidemic.
If staff members of the Section were late for work, the LCSD might take disciplinary actions against them and make salary deductions in accordance with the Civil Service Regulation.
The charges allege that the defendant, with intent to deceive the LCSD, used four monthly attendance records of October 2020 to January 2021 containing false statements in which her reporting time in a total of 27 entries had been altered so that they appeared earlier than the actual times she clocked in.
ICAC inquiries revealed that the defendant was late for work for a total of around 30 hours on 27 occasions in the above four months. The reporting times in the 27 entries were on average advanced by one hour, while one of them was even altered to appear two hours early. Based on the monthly attendance records submitted by the defendant, the LCSD had failed to deduct a total of over $9,700 from her salary payments.
The LCSD has rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.
An ICAC spokesperson reminds civil servants to uphold a high standard of integrity and abide by the law at all times, so as to maintain public confidence in the civil service.