Ex-site team leader charged by ICAC admits soliciting and accepting bribes of $180,000 from Third Runway Project scaffolders
2022-10-19
A former site team leader of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project), charged by the ICAC, today (October 19) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had solicited and accepted illegal rebates totalling over $180,000 from six scaffolders. The defendant was among 13 charged by the ICAC since late last year with bribery for assisting construction workers to secure employment with the sub-contractor.
Zhuang Huitao, 31, former site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), pleaded guilty to 16 charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage, eight of agent accepting an advantage, and seven of conspiracy for agent(s) to accept an advantage/advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to February 6, 2023 for mention. Zhuang was granted bail.
At the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. Zhuang was a site team leader of a team of scaffolders.
The court heard that between June 2020 and March 2022, Zhuang solicited an illegal rebate of $100 to $250 per working day from each of the six scaffolders introduced by him, or other workers to work in his team at the construction site. The six scaffolders acceded to Zhuang’s solicitation as they worried that they would lose the job opportunities.
During the period, Zhuang accepted illegal rebates totalling over $180,000 from the six scaffolders either directly or through two workers. Zhuang further solicited $100 per day from one of scaffolders after the latter stopped paying illegal rebates.
The above two workers Zhou Sheng, 58; and Huang Dehou, 41, were also charged for their roles in the case. They pleaded not guilty today and had their trial fixed for February 6, 2023.
Since October 2021, the ICAC had taken a series of enforcement actions against illicit acceptance of illegal rebates from construction workers, and had so far prosecuted a total of 13 then team leaders and construction workers in separate cases with multiple counts of bribery and related charges. Some of the defendants had already been convicted.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, the relevant main contractor SAPR JV and MEL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Wong.
Zhuang Huitao, 31, former site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), pleaded guilty to 16 charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage, eight of agent accepting an advantage, and seven of conspiracy for agent(s) to accept an advantage/advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Magistrate Mr Li Chi-ho adjourned the case to February 6, 2023 for mention. Zhuang was granted bail.
At the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. Zhuang was a site team leader of a team of scaffolders.
The court heard that between June 2020 and March 2022, Zhuang solicited an illegal rebate of $100 to $250 per working day from each of the six scaffolders introduced by him, or other workers to work in his team at the construction site. The six scaffolders acceded to Zhuang’s solicitation as they worried that they would lose the job opportunities.
During the period, Zhuang accepted illegal rebates totalling over $180,000 from the six scaffolders either directly or through two workers. Zhuang further solicited $100 per day from one of scaffolders after the latter stopped paying illegal rebates.
The above two workers Zhou Sheng, 58; and Huang Dehou, 41, were also charged for their roles in the case. They pleaded not guilty today and had their trial fixed for February 6, 2023.
Since October 2021, the ICAC had taken a series of enforcement actions against illicit acceptance of illegal rebates from construction workers, and had so far prosecuted a total of 13 then team leaders and construction workers in separate cases with multiple counts of bribery and related charges. Some of the defendants had already been convicted.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, the relevant main contractor SAPR JV and MEL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Lawrence Wong.