Man charged by ICAC admits bribing TD driving examiner for getting a pass
2022-12-20
A man charged by the ICAC today (December 20) admitted at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts that he had bribed a driving examiner with $2,000 to get a pass after making a mistake at a road driving test of the Transport Department (TD).
Lai Cheung-ming, 60, pleaded guilty to a charge of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Magistrate Miss Minnie Wat Lai-man adjourned the case to January 3 next year for sentence, pending the defendant’s community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that on July 9, 2022, the defendant attended Yau Tong Driving Test Centre of the TD for his road driving test. A Driving Examiner II of the TD was his examiner.
The defendant made a serious mistake soon after the driving test commenced. He then offered “tea money” of $2,000 in cash to the examiner in a bid to secure a pass in the test. The examiner immediately turned down the offer and reported the incident to the TD right after the test.
The defendant was arrested by ICAC officers on the spot upon the ICAC’s receipt of a corruption complaint referred by the TD on the same day.
The TD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. Legal advice was sought from the Department of Justice upon completion of the investigation, and the defendant was earlier charged accordingly pursuant to the legal advice.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Chan.
Lai Cheung-ming, 60, pleaded guilty to a charge of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Magistrate Miss Minnie Wat Lai-man adjourned the case to January 3 next year for sentence, pending the defendant’s community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that on July 9, 2022, the defendant attended Yau Tong Driving Test Centre of the TD for his road driving test. A Driving Examiner II of the TD was his examiner.
The defendant made a serious mistake soon after the driving test commenced. He then offered “tea money” of $2,000 in cash to the examiner in a bid to secure a pass in the test. The examiner immediately turned down the offer and reported the incident to the TD right after the test.
The defendant was arrested by ICAC officers on the spot upon the ICAC’s receipt of a corruption complaint referred by the TD on the same day.
The TD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. Legal advice was sought from the Department of Justice upon completion of the investigation, and the defendant was earlier charged accordingly pursuant to the legal advice.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Keith Chan.