Housing Officer charged by ICAC with fraud over public housing family member addition and community function applications
2025-10-16
A Housing Officer of the Housing Department (HD) was charged by the ICAC yesterday (October 15) with fraud for allegedly making false representations to two applicants that their respective applications for public housing family member addition and community function had been approved by the department.
Ng Ming-yee, 35, faces two counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 17) for plea.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Between October 2022 and October 2024, the defendant was posted to the HD’s office in Tai Wo Hau Estate. She was responsible for handling family member addition applications (addition applications) from tenants of the estate and community-building functions applications (function applications) from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). But the defendant had no authority to approve or disapprove the applications.
According to guidelines of the HD, the applications would be approved by a Housing Manager. An approved addition application could result in an adjustment in the tenant’s rent, while an NGO could apply for a reimbursement of the expenses incurred after an approval to organise a function was granted.
One of the charges alleges that the defendant had falsely represented to a family member of a registered tenant of a unit in Tai Wo Hau Estate that her addition application had been approved by the HD.
Another charge alleges that the defendant had made a false representation to an NGO that its function application had been duly approved.
The ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant did not submit the two applications to the Housing Manager concerned for approval while some of the relevant documents were found at the defendant’s workstation. The applicants concerned had no knowledge of the fact that their applications had never been approved by the HD.
The fraudulent acts of the defendant could cause the applicant to be penalised by the HD for moving into the unit without authorisation and not paying extra rents. Meanwhile, the NGO might not be able to obtain any reimbursement from the HD for organising the function.
The HD and the said NGO rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Ng Ming-yee, 35, faces two counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 17) for plea.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Between October 2022 and October 2024, the defendant was posted to the HD’s office in Tai Wo Hau Estate. She was responsible for handling family member addition applications (addition applications) from tenants of the estate and community-building functions applications (function applications) from non-governmental organisations (NGOs). But the defendant had no authority to approve or disapprove the applications.
According to guidelines of the HD, the applications would be approved by a Housing Manager. An approved addition application could result in an adjustment in the tenant’s rent, while an NGO could apply for a reimbursement of the expenses incurred after an approval to organise a function was granted.
One of the charges alleges that the defendant had falsely represented to a family member of a registered tenant of a unit in Tai Wo Hau Estate that her addition application had been approved by the HD.
Another charge alleges that the defendant had made a false representation to an NGO that its function application had been duly approved.
The ICAC investigation revealed that the defendant did not submit the two applications to the Housing Manager concerned for approval while some of the relevant documents were found at the defendant’s workstation. The applicants concerned had no knowledge of the fact that their applications had never been approved by the HD.
The fraudulent acts of the defendant could cause the applicant to be penalised by the HD for moving into the unit without authorisation and not paying extra rents. Meanwhile, the NGO might not be able to obtain any reimbursement from the HD for organising the function.
The HD and the said NGO rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.