Five persons charged by ICAC admit conspiracy to defraud over false COVID-19 jab records
2022-7-14
Five among seven persons, charged by the ICAC with conspiracy to defraud for obtaining vaccination records by making false representations of having received COVID-19 vaccine doses at a Community Vaccination Centre (CVC), admitted at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (July 14) their involvements in the scam.
Carmen Ho Ka-man, 34, registered nurse; and Liu Hoi-yan, 42, housewife, pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. Ho alone further admitted another similar charge. Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai remanded the duo in the custody of the Correctional Services Department and adjourned their sentencing to September 27.
Liu Hoi-yan’s parents and domestic helper, namely Siu Hang-yee, 70, housewife; Liu Kwok-hung, 67, construction worker; and Mary Ann Villeza Marcelo, 39, also jointly faced one of the above charges. The trio admitted the brief facts of the case and were imposed a 12-month bind over order at $2,000 each after the prosecution offered no evidence to the charge against them.
In mid-January 2022, Quality HealthCare Medical Services Limited (QHMS) was appointed by the Government to operate a CVC at Kowloon Bay Sports Centre for inoculating qualified citizens with BioNTech vaccine in light of the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong. After inoculation, citizens would be issued vaccination records. Starting from February 24, 2022, all persons aged 12 or above entering or remaining on specified premises are required to be vaccinated unless they are exempted.
The offences took place between January and late February 2022. At the material time, Ho was engaged by QHMS to work at the above CVC as part-time inoculation nurse and was assigned to perform her duty at one of the booths. To avoid any possible conflict of interest situation, QHMS prohibited any CVC nurse from providing vaccination service to her family members or friends.
The court heard that Ho’s friend Liu Hoi-yan told Ho the Lius’ worries about the side effects of vaccination and the restricted access to a number of venues following the implementation of the Vaccine Pass arrangement. Ho then offered to issue vaccination records to the Lius without actual inoculation, to which Liu Hoi-yan agreed.
On February 20, 2022, which was four days before the Vaccine Pass arrangement came into full implementation, the Lius and their domestic helper Marcelo went to the above CVC and visited Ho’s booth. Ho issued vaccination records to them although they were not vaccinated. Ho also admitted that she had assisted two sisters from another family to obtain vaccination records by the same fraudulent means.
ICAC investigation revealed that supervisors of the CVC recovered a total of six syringes containing unused vaccine from the sharp box in Ho’s booth for placing used vaccine syringes after the visits of the Lius, Marcelo and the above two sisters.
Co-defendants Cheng Nga-yi, 30, and Cheng Sze-wai, 25, respectively private tutor and primary school teacher, today pleaded not guilty to one of the above conspiracy charges against Ho and them. Their trial was set for September 26.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. QHMS, the Department of Health and the Civil Service Bureau, which oversees the vaccination programme, had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Antony Leung, assisted by ICAC officer William Leung.
The ICAC calls on the public to uphold integrity and abide by the law. The ICAC will continue to reach out to people from different sectors through various education and publicity activities to promote the core values of integrity and law-abidingness.
Carmen Ho Ka-man, 34, registered nurse; and Liu Hoi-yan, 42, housewife, pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law. Ho alone further admitted another similar charge. Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai remanded the duo in the custody of the Correctional Services Department and adjourned their sentencing to September 27.
Liu Hoi-yan’s parents and domestic helper, namely Siu Hang-yee, 70, housewife; Liu Kwok-hung, 67, construction worker; and Mary Ann Villeza Marcelo, 39, also jointly faced one of the above charges. The trio admitted the brief facts of the case and were imposed a 12-month bind over order at $2,000 each after the prosecution offered no evidence to the charge against them.
In mid-January 2022, Quality HealthCare Medical Services Limited (QHMS) was appointed by the Government to operate a CVC at Kowloon Bay Sports Centre for inoculating qualified citizens with BioNTech vaccine in light of the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong. After inoculation, citizens would be issued vaccination records. Starting from February 24, 2022, all persons aged 12 or above entering or remaining on specified premises are required to be vaccinated unless they are exempted.
The offences took place between January and late February 2022. At the material time, Ho was engaged by QHMS to work at the above CVC as part-time inoculation nurse and was assigned to perform her duty at one of the booths. To avoid any possible conflict of interest situation, QHMS prohibited any CVC nurse from providing vaccination service to her family members or friends.
The court heard that Ho’s friend Liu Hoi-yan told Ho the Lius’ worries about the side effects of vaccination and the restricted access to a number of venues following the implementation of the Vaccine Pass arrangement. Ho then offered to issue vaccination records to the Lius without actual inoculation, to which Liu Hoi-yan agreed.
On February 20, 2022, which was four days before the Vaccine Pass arrangement came into full implementation, the Lius and their domestic helper Marcelo went to the above CVC and visited Ho’s booth. Ho issued vaccination records to them although they were not vaccinated. Ho also admitted that she had assisted two sisters from another family to obtain vaccination records by the same fraudulent means.
ICAC investigation revealed that supervisors of the CVC recovered a total of six syringes containing unused vaccine from the sharp box in Ho’s booth for placing used vaccine syringes after the visits of the Lius, Marcelo and the above two sisters.
Co-defendants Cheng Nga-yi, 30, and Cheng Sze-wai, 25, respectively private tutor and primary school teacher, today pleaded not guilty to one of the above conspiracy charges against Ho and them. Their trial was set for September 26.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. QHMS, the Department of Health and the Civil Service Bureau, which oversees the vaccination programme, had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Antony Leung, assisted by ICAC officer William Leung.
The ICAC calls on the public to uphold integrity and abide by the law. The ICAC will continue to reach out to people from different sectors through various education and publicity activities to promote the core values of integrity and law-abidingness.