Job seeker in court over seeking employments by false academic proofs
2018-3-2
A job seeker appeared in the Eastern Magistracy today (March 2) after being charged by the ICAC with using false academic proofs in seeking employments from three government departments and the anti-corruption agency in a period of nine years, thereby inducing those government departments to pay him remunerations of over $1.1 million.
Poon Hoi-kan, 40, who was charged on Wednesday (February 28), faced nine charges – eight of using copies of false instruments, contrary to Section 74 of the Crimes Ordinance, and one of possessing a false instrument, contrary to Section 75(2) of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant also faced three alternative charges of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception, contrary to Section 18(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai transferred the case to the District Court for plea on March 22.
The case arose from a corruption investigation. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
The defendant commenced his bachelor’s degree course at a university in Australia in 1999. As he did not complete the course, the university did not award a graduation certificate to him.
Eight of the charges alleged that between May 25, 2004 and June 3, 2013, the defendant used copies of false instruments, namely copies of a graduation certificate, a transcript of results and two student enrolment details by course, which were all purportedly issued by the university, with the intention of inducing various staff members of the Home Affairs Department (HAD), then Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA), Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the ICAC to accept them as copies of genuine instruments.
The defendant obtained seven employments from the HAD, then SFAA and LCSD, and were paid remunerations totalling over $1.1 million. On his application for a post of the ICAC, the defendant declined to complete a required form and hence his application had not been processed.
The three alternative charges alleged that between May 25, 2004 and April 8, 2010, the defendant dishonestly obtained for himself the opportunities to earn remunerations in the employment of three posts with the HAD and then SFAA respectively by falsely representing that he had obtained the bachelor’s degree from the university.
The remaining charge alleged that on December 1, 2015, the defendant, without lawful authority or excuse, had in his custody another transcript of results purportedly issued by the university, which he knew or believed to be false.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $10,000, and ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
The HAD, LCSD and Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (formerly known as SFAA) had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Jeanne Lam.
Poon Hoi-kan, 40, who was charged on Wednesday (February 28), faced nine charges – eight of using copies of false instruments, contrary to Section 74 of the Crimes Ordinance, and one of possessing a false instrument, contrary to Section 75(2) of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendant also faced three alternative charges of obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception, contrary to Section 18(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
No plea was taken today. Principal Magistrate Ms Bina Chainrai transferred the case to the District Court for plea on March 22.
The case arose from a corruption investigation. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
The defendant commenced his bachelor’s degree course at a university in Australia in 1999. As he did not complete the course, the university did not award a graduation certificate to him.
Eight of the charges alleged that between May 25, 2004 and June 3, 2013, the defendant used copies of false instruments, namely copies of a graduation certificate, a transcript of results and two student enrolment details by course, which were all purportedly issued by the university, with the intention of inducing various staff members of the Home Affairs Department (HAD), then Student Financial Assistance Agency (SFAA), Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the ICAC to accept them as copies of genuine instruments.
The defendant obtained seven employments from the HAD, then SFAA and LCSD, and were paid remunerations totalling over $1.1 million. On his application for a post of the ICAC, the defendant declined to complete a required form and hence his application had not been processed.
The three alternative charges alleged that between May 25, 2004 and April 8, 2010, the defendant dishonestly obtained for himself the opportunities to earn remunerations in the employment of three posts with the HAD and then SFAA respectively by falsely representing that he had obtained the bachelor’s degree from the university.
The remaining charge alleged that on December 1, 2015, the defendant, without lawful authority or excuse, had in his custody another transcript of results purportedly issued by the university, which he knew or believed to be false.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $10,000, and ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
The HAD, LCSD and Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (formerly known as SFAA) had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Jeanne Lam.