A disc jockey who allegedly pocketed HK$18,900 in research and scriptwriting fees using bogus claims would not have been entitled to the money under her non-civil servant contract, the deputy head of RTHK said yesterday.
Deputy director of broadcasting Tai Keen-man told Kowloon City Court that Vera Lee, who is also a producer, could claim additional pay only for work outside the scope of her normal duty and hours.
Lee, 35, has been accused of falsely claiming three lots of fees in the name of a close friend between April and August 2001 for work on a programme she produced, knowing her friend had never done the work.
Her friend had agreed to accept the money and transfer it back to her after Lee told her it was inconvenient for her to claim under her own name, the court has been told.
Lee did not take the stand yesterday after Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen ruled that she had a case to answer on six charges of theft and handling proceeds of theft, which she denies. The trial has been adjourned to January 29 for submissions.
Lee, who started in 1997 on contract, was paid as a casual contributor although she worked full time for the broadcaster, the court has been told. Her salary was paid using the type of claim forms mentioned in the charges until March 2001, when her contract was changed to pay her a fixed monthly rate. She claimed her friend was a production assistant for her programme, Skytrack, the court heard.