A police sergeant and a merchant were today (Friday) charged by the ICAC for alleged conspiracy to offer regular bribes to the sergeant for showing favour to the merchant who was allegedly associated with triad-affiliated persons.

D1, 49, Police Sergeant; and D2, 48, merchant, are jointly charged with one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.

D1 alone faces an alternative charge of misconduct in public office, contrary to the Common Law.

The defendants will appear in Tsuen Wan Magistracy on April 15 (Thursday), pending transfer to the District Court.

The case arose from a corruption complaint referred by the Police. The Police has rendered full assistance to the ICAC in its investigation.

The conspiracy charge alleges that between mid-2004 and March 2008, the two defendants conspired together to offer periodic payments in the sum of approximately $4,000 to D1.

The said sum was allegedly an inducement to or reward for D1 to perform an act in his capacity as a public servant, namely being or remaining favourably disposed to D2.

The misconduct charge alleges that D1 had without reasonable excuse or justification, in the course of or in relation to his public office, wilfully and intentionally culpably misconducted himself by associating with triad-affiliated persons, and accepting periodic payments of approximately $4,000 from D2.

The defendants have been granted ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on April 15.