Wife and pets left behind after scandal-ridden Hong Kong drug boarding school closes

A lonely middle-aged woman and some pets were the only signs of life at a scandal-ridden Christian charity boarding school on an offshore island of Hong Kong on Sunday, after the 39-year-old operation to rehabilitate young drug offenders was shut down.

The Christian Zheng Sheng College, founded in 1985 in Ha Keng on Lantau Island, looked deserted except for two leashed dogs and several turtles; books, furniture and kitchenware were still there, noted a Post reporter who looked around the campus.

College supervisor Chui Hong-sheung told The Post on Saturday evening that an 18-year-old student stayed on campus because she had no family in Hong Kong, while her guardian lived in mainland China.

“The college and welfare authorities should make arrangements for the student,” Chui said. He also called on the institution to settle the outstanding wages of some staff members as soon as possible.

On Sunday, no one seemed to be on campus until around noon a middle-aged woman was spotted in the girls’ dormitory.

The college had to cease operations after its bank accounts were frozen. Principal Alman Chan Siu-cheuk and founder Jacob Lam Hay-sing have been wanted by police since January. They are accused of stealing HK$50 million in donations collected in 2020 to keep the college afloat.

Police accuse the pair of transferring funds from the college’s parent organization, the Christian Zheng Sheng Association charity, as well as a third wanted man, Chan Yau-chi. The trio are former directors of the association.

Police also arrested four people for alleged conspiracy to commit donor fraud: Cheng Tin-nok, 34; Lau Chun-wah, 50; Tong Tak-sung, 69; and Lee Wing-hung, 77.

On a Sunday morning walk around the campus in the scorching sun, the reporter found two dogs and several turtles without water or food. Some turtles were eating fallen leaves while reporters fed the dogs baked goods and energy drinks.

The boys’ and girls’ dormitories were locked, leaving empty bunk beds and plastic containers inside.

The middle-aged woman briefly left the girls’ dormitory, told the journalist not to disturb her, and then went back inside, leaving a barking dog outside.

On a white board on the wall was a daily schedule for classes until June 21st.

Despite a change in management in April, the security office found that Alman Chan and founder Lam still exerted influence over the charity. It accused the new directors of lying and “harboring refugees”.

Chan, who has moved to Britain, denied stealing money from the association last month but did not elaborate on whether he had transferred any amounts to his personal accounts.

A government spokesman had previously said that as a result of the abrupt decision to cease operations at the college, authorities would seek to withdraw their funding for a new building on the campus. The Land Management Office would consider returning the campus, he said.

The two-storey building was funded with at least HK$62 million from the Security Bureau’s Beat Drugs Fund in 2015 and 2016. The building, which includes classrooms and kitchens, was put into use in the second half of 2022.

Additional reporting by Fiona Sun