Hong Kong’s anti-graft agency has charged three parents and a merchant over bribes totalling HK$340,000 (US$43,300) to a former administrator of an international kindergarten in the city.
The alleged bribes were made to secure places for K1 classes at the ESF Wu Kai Sha International Kindergarten for two school years between 2019 and 2021, according to a statement from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Tuesday.
Parents Michelle Wong Mei-suet, 37, Mak Wai-ki, 41, and Zhu Shuangye, 33, allegedly each offered a bribe of HK$20,000 or HK$100,000, totalling HK$140,000, to then administrator Fatima Rumjahn between September 2018 and March 2021, hoping to secure places for their children.
Merchant Siu Yu-pong, 45, meanwhile, allegedly offered a HK$200,000 bribe to Rumjahn to lock in a K1 placement for the 2020-21 school year for the daughter of his business partner.
Rumjahn was employed by ESF Educational Services Limited and was responsible for handling the relevant applications at the time, with the kindergarten accepting K1 admissions every September.
The defendants each face one count of “conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage” under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Crimes Ordinance.
They were released on bail and will appear at Sha Tin Court on Wednesday for mention.
“Parents should strictly follow the established procedures when making school admission applications for their children and never offer bribes in exchange for school placements,” the ICAC statement warned.
“If parents are asked to pay bribes, they should refuse immediately and report to the ICAC.”
Before the charges on Tuesday, Rumjahn and 10 other parents were hit by the graft-buster with 14 counts of bribery in June last year.
The administrator allegedly solicited and accepted bribes totalling more than HK$900,000 from several parents to help their children secure K1 classes in the same kindergarten for three school years between 2019 and 2022.
That case was adjourned to July 4 for mention at the District Court.