SWD Assistant Social Work Officer admits bribery for referral patients to private elderly home
2024-3-21
An Assistant Social Work Officer of the Social Welfare Department (SWD), charged by the ICAC, today (March 21) pleaded guilty at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to accepting bribes of $83,000 from an operator of a private residential care home for the elderly (RCHE) for referring discharged patients of the Princess Margaret Hospital to the RCHE. The operator, who entered a guilty plea earlier, also admitted the amended charge today.
Yau Chun-wo, 58, Assistant Social Work Officer of the SWD; and Li Lai-chun, 51, operator of Happy Year Elderly Care Home (Happy Year), pleaded guilty to an amended charge of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to May 3 for mitigation and sentence. The duo were granted bail.
The court heard that Yau was posted to the Medical Social Services Unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Lai King Building (Lai King Building) at the material time. He was responsible for arranging discharged elderly patients to reside in RCHEs for rehabilitation. In accordance with the relevant guidelines, he was only allowed to provide the SWD’s list of registered RCHEs to the patients for selection, and should not indicate his preference for any RCHE on the list nor recommend to the patients any RCHE operated by his family members or close personal friends.
Li was a shareholder-cum-director of the company which operated Happy Year, a private RCHE on the SWD’s list of registered RCHEs.
The duo admitted that they had respectively offered and accepted bribes for referring patients discharged from Lai King Building to Happy Year between May 2018 and September 2022.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Yau had arranged a total of 33 discharged patients of Lai King Building to reside at Happy Year over a span of over four years. Family members of one-third of the patients noted that Yau recommended Happy Year to them.
It was also revealed in ICAC’s investigation that Yau accepted bribes of $83,000 from Li for referring 14 of the patients to Happy Year.
An ICAC spokesperson notes that civil servants should never abuse their official capacity to obtain personal gain, and should uphold integrity in performing their duties in order to safeguard public interest. The ICAC also reminds members of the public that bribery is a serious offence, offering bribes to civil servants in exchange for their assistance or favour is strictly prohibited.
The SWD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Alvin Pang.
Yau Chun-wo, 58, Assistant Social Work Officer of the SWD; and Li Lai-chun, 51, operator of Happy Year Elderly Care Home (Happy Year), pleaded guilty to an amended charge of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, contrary to section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to May 3 for mitigation and sentence. The duo were granted bail.
The court heard that Yau was posted to the Medical Social Services Unit of the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Lai King Building (Lai King Building) at the material time. He was responsible for arranging discharged elderly patients to reside in RCHEs for rehabilitation. In accordance with the relevant guidelines, he was only allowed to provide the SWD’s list of registered RCHEs to the patients for selection, and should not indicate his preference for any RCHE on the list nor recommend to the patients any RCHE operated by his family members or close personal friends.
Li was a shareholder-cum-director of the company which operated Happy Year, a private RCHE on the SWD’s list of registered RCHEs.
The duo admitted that they had respectively offered and accepted bribes for referring patients discharged from Lai King Building to Happy Year between May 2018 and September 2022.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that Yau had arranged a total of 33 discharged patients of Lai King Building to reside at Happy Year over a span of over four years. Family members of one-third of the patients noted that Yau recommended Happy Year to them.
It was also revealed in ICAC’s investigation that Yau accepted bribes of $83,000 from Li for referring 14 of the patients to Happy Year.
An ICAC spokesperson notes that civil servants should never abuse their official capacity to obtain personal gain, and should uphold integrity in performing their duties in order to safeguard public interest. The ICAC also reminds members of the public that bribery is a serious offence, offering bribes to civil servants in exchange for their assistance or favour is strictly prohibited.
The SWD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Alvin Pang.