New property buyer charged by ICAC admits bribing estate agent over higher cash rebate
2022-12-30
A buyer of a new property, charged by the ICAC, today (December 30) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that she had offered a gift to an estate agent in a bid to obtain a higher cash rebate from the estate agency concerned over her purchase of a residential flat at over $6.5 million.
Yu Weilin, 30, clerk, pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to January 19 next year for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
At the material time, Centaline Property Agency Limited (Centaline Property) was engaged by a developer to promote the sale of Aquila · Square Mile, a residential project in Tai Kok Tsui. Centaline Property would receive from the developer a certain percentage of the transaction price for each successful transaction as agency commission. It would offer part of the agency commission as cash rebate to the property buyer to boost the sale. The amount of the cash rebate would be negotiated between the handling estate agent and property buyer, subject to the approval of Centaline Property.
In early March 2021, the defendant engaged an estate agent of Centaline Property to look for a residential property. Upon the estate agent’s introduction, the defendant intended to buy a flat at the above project at over $6.5 million in late March 2021.
The court heard that on March 31, 2021, the defendant negotiated with the estate agent about the cash rebate. She said if estate agent could bargain a higher amount of cash rebate for her, she would offer a gift worth ,000 to $3,000 to the latter.
The defendant eventually entered into a preliminary agreement for sale and purchase with the developer to purchase the flat, and the estate agent did not accept any gift offered by the defendant.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Centaline Property had rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Dirk Cheung.
Yu Weilin, 30, clerk, pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to January 19 next year for sentence, pending the defendant’s background and community service order reports. The defendant was granted bail.
At the material time, Centaline Property Agency Limited (Centaline Property) was engaged by a developer to promote the sale of Aquila · Square Mile, a residential project in Tai Kok Tsui. Centaline Property would receive from the developer a certain percentage of the transaction price for each successful transaction as agency commission. It would offer part of the agency commission as cash rebate to the property buyer to boost the sale. The amount of the cash rebate would be negotiated between the handling estate agent and property buyer, subject to the approval of Centaline Property.
In early March 2021, the defendant engaged an estate agent of Centaline Property to look for a residential property. Upon the estate agent’s introduction, the defendant intended to buy a flat at the above project at over $6.5 million in late March 2021.
The court heard that on March 31, 2021, the defendant negotiated with the estate agent about the cash rebate. She said if estate agent could bargain a higher amount of cash rebate for her, she would offer a gift worth ,000 to $3,000 to the latter.
The defendant eventually entered into a preliminary agreement for sale and purchase with the developer to purchase the flat, and the estate agent did not accept any gift offered by the defendant.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Centaline Property had rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Dirk Cheung.