Five charged for alleged roles in false employment proof scam
2019-7-19
Four former and serving employees of a management services contractor of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and a cleaning company director have been charged by the ICAC today (July 19) for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to use a false employment proof to support the promotion of an employee despite his insufficient working experience.
The defendants are Lam Yin-kiu, 42, chief property manager of China Overseas Property Services Limited (COPS); Pok Lai-lee, 38, property manager of COPS; Law Wing-yan, 33, senior property officer of COPS; Tsui Chi-ho, 35, former property officer of COPS and husband of Law; and Lee Tai-kwan, 44, director cum shareholder of Lee’s Cleaning Services Company Limited (Lee’s Cleaning).
They face a joint charge of conspiracy to use a copy of a false instrument, contrary to Sections 74 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lam further faces one count of using a copy of a false instrument, contrary to Section 74 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy next Tuesday (July 23) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
In June 2015, COPS was awarded a five-year contract by the AFCD for the provision of cleansing, security and management services at the Western Wholesale Food Market. COPS was required to provide sufficient “management supervisors” and “management members” for each work shift.
According to the contract, if COPS failed to provide the required manpower for a certain shift, its monthly service fee would be deducted. In the event of non-compliance with the contract terms, the AFCD might also consider issuing warning letters to or terminating the contract with COPS.
At the material time, Lam, Pok and Law were respectively chief property manager, property manager and senior property officer of COPS. Lee was the director cum shareholder of Lee’s Cleaning.
In July 2015, Tsui joined COPS as assistant property officer. At that time, he had only 23 months of working experience in the property management field.
Two months later, he was recommended to be promoted to property officer, which was equivalent to “management supervisor”. According to the contract, a “management supervisor” should possess at least three years’ working experience in a supervisory post.
The joint charge alleges that between October 12 and 24, 2016, the five defendants conspired together to use a copy of an instrument, namely an employment certification letter issued by a business partner of Lee’s Cleaning, which was and which they knew was false, with the intention of inducing somebody to accept it as a copy of a genuine instrument.
Lam further faces another charge which alleges that on April 20, 2017, Lam used a copy of the same employment certification letter, which was and which he knew to be false, with the intention of inducing somebody to accept it as a copy of a genuine instrument.
The AFCD and COPS have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.
The defendants are Lam Yin-kiu, 42, chief property manager of China Overseas Property Services Limited (COPS); Pok Lai-lee, 38, property manager of COPS; Law Wing-yan, 33, senior property officer of COPS; Tsui Chi-ho, 35, former property officer of COPS and husband of Law; and Lee Tai-kwan, 44, director cum shareholder of Lee’s Cleaning Services Company Limited (Lee’s Cleaning).
They face a joint charge of conspiracy to use a copy of a false instrument, contrary to Sections 74 and 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Lam further faces one count of using a copy of a false instrument, contrary to Section 74 of the Crimes Ordinance.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy next Tuesday (July 23) for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offences.
In June 2015, COPS was awarded a five-year contract by the AFCD for the provision of cleansing, security and management services at the Western Wholesale Food Market. COPS was required to provide sufficient “management supervisors” and “management members” for each work shift.
According to the contract, if COPS failed to provide the required manpower for a certain shift, its monthly service fee would be deducted. In the event of non-compliance with the contract terms, the AFCD might also consider issuing warning letters to or terminating the contract with COPS.
At the material time, Lam, Pok and Law were respectively chief property manager, property manager and senior property officer of COPS. Lee was the director cum shareholder of Lee’s Cleaning.
In July 2015, Tsui joined COPS as assistant property officer. At that time, he had only 23 months of working experience in the property management field.
Two months later, he was recommended to be promoted to property officer, which was equivalent to “management supervisor”. According to the contract, a “management supervisor” should possess at least three years’ working experience in a supervisory post.
The joint charge alleges that between October 12 and 24, 2016, the five defendants conspired together to use a copy of an instrument, namely an employment certification letter issued by a business partner of Lee’s Cleaning, which was and which they knew was false, with the intention of inducing somebody to accept it as a copy of a genuine instrument.
Lam further faces another charge which alleges that on April 20, 2017, Lam used a copy of the same employment certification letter, which was and which he knew to be false, with the intention of inducing somebody to accept it as a copy of a genuine instrument.
The AFCD and COPS have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance next Tuesday.