HONG KONG — Chen Yi-hsin, the former principal of Yan Chai Hospital Chiu Tsang Hok Wan Primary School in Tsing Yi, has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges. The 270,000 HK dollars (US$34,715) were taken from the school through false salary claims and unauthorized bank withdrawals.
The conviction stems from four counts of fraud, which Chen admitted to at West Kowloon Court. Magistrate Yu Chun-cheung criticized Chen for breaching the trust placed in him by the school, emphasizing that as a leader, a principal should not exploit their position for personal gain.
An investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was triggered by a complaint. It revealed that in April and May of 2023, Chen falsely claimed he hadn’t received salary payments via autopay for March and April. In response, the school provided him with over HK$150,000 in cheque payments.
Further, in May and June, Chen misled the school about receiving approval to withdraw HK$120,000 from the institution’s account, claiming the money was for organizing activities for students and staff. However, the funds were instead deposited into his personal account for personal use.
Chen, who left the school in December 2023, was sentenced after the court ruled against considering community service due to the breach of trust in his role. The ICAC spokesperson emphasized that such acts of fraud by a school leader undermined public confidence.
