A woman was today (Monday) sentenced to three months' imprisonment at the Kowloon City Magistracy for bribing a Housing Department (HD) clerk with $100, hoping the latter would allocate a better public housing flat to her.

The defendant, 51, a health care worker, had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(c) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

In sentencing, Magistrate Ronald Cheung Wai-tat said the jail term was reduced from a starting point of five months, given the defendant's guilty plea.

The court heard that the defendant moved to Hong Kong from the Mainland in 2001.

In 2003, the defendant submitted an application for a public housing unit to the Housing Department.

Since then, the defendant had received correspondences from the Registration and Civil Service Unit of the HD, mostly signed by an Assistant Clerical Officer (ACO), who was attached to the unit between November 2003 and August 2007.

On April 28, 2009, the defendant was allocated a public housing unit in Choi Hung Estate.

The defendant subsequently wrote a letter to thank the aforementioned ACO and stated that she would prefer another unit on a higher floor or a newer one. A $100 banknote was enclosed in the letter for the said ACO to "buy fruits", the court heard.

The court heard that the ACO did not accept the bribe money.

When interviewed under caution, the defendant admitted having enclosed the money, expecting the ACO's further assistance in allocating a better unit to her.

The Housing Department has rendered full assistance in the ICAC investigation.

The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Michael Wong, assisted by ICAC officer Horace Wong.