Ex-HAD employee in court for allegedly using false medical certificates

2023-5-3

A former Project Assistant of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (May 3) appeared at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts after being charged by the ICAC with offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) for allegedly using medical certificates containing false information to mislead the HAD that her sick leave was recommended by doctors.

Cheung Sin-yu, 26, former Project Assistant of the HAD, faced two counts of agent using document with intent to deceive her principal, contrary to Section 9(3) the POBO.

No plea was taken today and the defendant was granted bail. Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung adjourned the case to June 28 for mention.

At the material time, the defendant was employed by the HAD under Non-Civil Service Contract term as a Project Assistant. She was posted to Yuen Long District Office and was entitled to three days of paid sick leave each month. She applied for taking sick leave on July 4, 2022 and was required to submit the original medical certificate concerned to the HAD.

The defendant allegedly used two medical certificates purportedly issued by a government doctor and a private doctor respectively on the abovementioned date to mislead the HAD that her sick leave was recommended by the two doctors.

The investigation arose from a complaint filed with the ICAC. Enquiries revealed that the defendant initially submitted a copy of the medical certificate purportedly issued by the government doctor to the HAD. When she was asked to submit the relevant original document for verification, she then submitted an original medical certificate purportedly issued by the private doctor. Investigation however revealed that the two doctors did not provide any medical consultation to the defendant on July 4, 2022 and the two medical certificates were not issued by them.

The HAD, the Hospital Authority and the medical group the private doctor concerned worked for have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer David Ip.
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