A PhD student from the mainland enrolled in a university in Taipa allegedly told a fellow student last year he could help him pass two courses he had failed by bribing the professor in charge, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon said yesterday.
Leng did not identify the university.
Speaking during a regular press briefing, Leng said the suspect cheated his fellow student out of 32,000 yuan (37,100 patacas).
The suspect is a 32-year-old male surnamed Chen from the mainland who told police that he works as a clerk. The victim is a 20-year-old fellow mainlander who was enrolled at the same university at the time of the alleged crime. The victim and the alleged culprit have meanwhile graduated, according Leng.
Leng said the victim told police that he had met Chen at the university through some classmates. In a statement to the police, the victim said that he had failed two subjects in February last year and was therefore unable to graduate at that time.
According to the victim, whose surname was not released by the police, Chen then told him that he could bribe the professor of the two courses he had failed with 32,000 yuan to pass him.
The professor taught both courses the victim had failed.
The student believed Chen and transferred the money in two instalments through mobile phone transactions to a bank account number Chen had given him. The first remittance was on February 21 and the second on May 10 this year. After remitting the total amount, the student was still failing the two courses but could not contact Chen, according to (PJ) spokesman
In May, the student retook the classes he had failed and finally passed them, so that he was able to graduate this year. After graduating, he asked the professor of the two courses he had previously failed if he had received the bribe. The professor said that he had never heard of such a thing. The student then reported the case to the police on July 18, according to the (PJ) spokesman.
On Sunday, Chen was arrested by the police after re-entering Macau through the Barrier Gate.
Chen insisted that he was not guilty of the crime since he had repaid the 29,000 yuan between July and September and now only owed the victim 3,000 yuan.
The suspect has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) for further investigation and possible arraignment on an aggravated fraud charge.
