Four among 17 charged by ICAC with soliciting and accepting bribes from Third Runway Project construction workers
2022-11-4
Four former employees of the main contractor and a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project) were charged by the ICAC yesterday (November 3) with soliciting and accepting illegal rebates from five construction workers in relation to their employment with the sub-contractor. Arising from the relevant investigation, the Commission has so far charged a total of 17 persons.
The ICAC has taken a series of enforcement actions against illicit acceptance of illegal rebates from construction workers since last year, and had earlier charged 13 persons for collecting illegal rebates from over 20 construction workers of the Third Runway Project.
An ICAC spokesperson urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay illegal rebates in exchange for their employment, they should report to the ICAC immediately.
Four defendants, namely a former foreman of the main contractor of the Third Runway Project and two former site team leaders and a construction worker of a sub-contractor, were charged in three cases yesterday with a total of eight counts of bribery and fraud. They were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (November 7) for plea.
At the material time, SAPR JV was the main contractor of the Third Runway Project and its sub-contractor, MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), was responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works.
In the first case, Wong Ka-long, 25, former foreman of SAPR JV; and Lu Wuhu, 47, former rigger of MEL, face a total of five charges – three of conspiracy for agents to accept an advantage and two of agent soliciting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
It is alleged that between March and May 2021, Wong solicited illegal rebates of $1,500 per month each from two riggers of MEL, and conspired together with Lu and the two riggers for himself and Lu to accept illegal rebates totalling $4,500 from the duo for assisting them to secure and continue their employment with MEL.
In the second case, Lam Huang Chaofan, 52, former plumbing works site team leader of MEL, faces one count of agent soliciting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO, and one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
Between August 2021 and May 2022, Huang allegedly solicited illegal rebate of $200 per working day from a plumber in his team for assisting the latter to continue his employment with MEL. It is also alleged that Huang falsely represented to MEL that four other workers in his team were unregistered plumbers to induce MEL to pay them each a daily wage of $1,200.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the plumber did not pay any illegal rebate to Huang while the four workers had no experience in plumbing works and were only entitled to a daily wage of $950.
In the third case, So Shun-tai, 46, former general works site team leader of MEL, faces two counts of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
It is alleged that So conspired together with two employees of SAPR JV and two general workers in his team between June 2020 and January 2021 for himself to accept illegal rebates totalling $6,600 from the two general workers for assisting the duo to secure and continue their employment with MEL.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, SAPR JV and MEL have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.
The ICAC has taken a series of enforcement actions against illicit acceptance of illegal rebates from construction workers since last year, and had earlier charged 13 persons for collecting illegal rebates from over 20 construction workers of the Third Runway Project.
An ICAC spokesperson urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay illegal rebates in exchange for their employment, they should report to the ICAC immediately.
Four defendants, namely a former foreman of the main contractor of the Third Runway Project and two former site team leaders and a construction worker of a sub-contractor, were charged in three cases yesterday with a total of eight counts of bribery and fraud. They were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (November 7) for plea.
At the material time, SAPR JV was the main contractor of the Third Runway Project and its sub-contractor, MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), was responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works.
In the first case, Wong Ka-long, 25, former foreman of SAPR JV; and Lu Wuhu, 47, former rigger of MEL, face a total of five charges – three of conspiracy for agents to accept an advantage and two of agent soliciting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
It is alleged that between March and May 2021, Wong solicited illegal rebates of $1,500 per month each from two riggers of MEL, and conspired together with Lu and the two riggers for himself and Lu to accept illegal rebates totalling $4,500 from the duo for assisting them to secure and continue their employment with MEL.
In the second case, Lam Huang Chaofan, 52, former plumbing works site team leader of MEL, faces one count of agent soliciting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO, and one count of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
Between August 2021 and May 2022, Huang allegedly solicited illegal rebate of $200 per working day from a plumber in his team for assisting the latter to continue his employment with MEL. It is also alleged that Huang falsely represented to MEL that four other workers in his team were unregistered plumbers to induce MEL to pay them each a daily wage of $1,200.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the plumber did not pay any illegal rebate to Huang while the four workers had no experience in plumbing works and were only entitled to a daily wage of $950.
In the third case, So Shun-tai, 46, former general works site team leader of MEL, faces two counts of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
It is alleged that So conspired together with two employees of SAPR JV and two general workers in his team between June 2020 and January 2021 for himself to accept illegal rebates totalling $6,600 from the two general workers for assisting the duo to secure and continue their employment with MEL.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, SAPR JV and MEL have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.