ICAC charges former principal of government-aided primary school for HK$270,000 salaries and school funds fraud
The ICAC today (Sept. 13) charged a former principal of a government-aided primary school for allegedly lying to the school that he had not received his salaries for two consecutive months and deceiving the school into double paying him salaries totaling over HK$150,000. He was also alleged of making false claim that he had been authorized to withdraw school funds and defrauded the school of HK$120,000 for personal use.
Chen Yi-hsin, 47, former principal of Yan Chai Hospital Chiu Tsang Hok Wan Primary School, faces four counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts next Tuesday (Sept. 17) for plea.
At the material time, the defendant was the principal of Yan Chai Hospital Chiu Tsang Hok Wan Primary School, a government-aided primary school.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint.
Inquiries revealed that in early April and early May 2023, the defendant allegedly made false representations to staff members of the school that he had not received his salaries for the months of March and April 2023, hence deceiving the school into repetitively paying him salary payments for the two months concerned, totaling over HK$150,000.
Investigation revealed that in late March and late April 2023, the defendant had successfully received the salary payments for the two months concerned through his bank account by autopay. As he allegedly declared to the school that the bank autopays were unsuccessful, the school reissued the payments by cheque upon his request. The defendant had never returned the extra salary payments to the school.
It is also alleged that on two occasions between May and June 2023, the defendant falsely represented to staff members of the school that he had obtained the approval of the school's sponsoring body and the supervisor of the school to withdraw funds from the school's bank account for official purposes, thus deceiving the school into making two payments, HK$60,000 each, to him.
ICAC investigation revealed that after receiving the payments of HK$120,000 from the school, the defendant allegedly deposited the whole sum into his own bank accounts for personal use. He had never spent the money on school's expenses. The defendant left the school in late December 2023.
The school's sponsoring body Yan Chai Hospital and the incorporated management committee of the school had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
An ICAC spokesperson notes that a school principal, as an agent of the incorporated school management committee, should not involve in any conflict of interest while performing his official duties nor should he use his official position for personal gains. The ICAC will continue to adopt its three-pronged strategy in safeguarding a clean education sector. In addition to stringent enforcement actions, the Commission has published a Best Practice Checklist on Governance and Internal Control in Schools and organized anti-corruption seminars for principals and staff to help fortify good governance and a culture of integrity in the sector.
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