A Highways Department senior engineer has appeared in Eastern Magistracy for allegedly deceiving Private Tenancy Allowances from the Government, and assisting other officers in cheating allowances.

Wong Kei-kwong, 55, faced three counts of an agent using a document with intent to deceive his principal under Section 9(3) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, and two of conspiracy to defraud.

No plea was taken today. Magistrate Ian Candy adjourned the case to June 26 for plea at the District Court. Wong was granted $20,000 bail.

Wong is said to have falsely represented in three applications that he was eligible to claim and receive the allowances in respect of a leased property on Castle Peak Road between June 1991 and June 1995.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption alleges Wong had a financial interest in the property and was not eligible to receive the allowances.

The remaining two charges allege Wong conspired with a couple and another person, who were also Government officers, to defraud the Government between July 1979 and September 1993, by falsely representing that a premises at Baguio Villa and Dragon Terrace were not owned by them. Wong allegedly held those properties on behalf of them to enable them to make false allowance claims.