Ex-engineer of Airport Authority uses false site supervision records at 3RS Project fire station charged by ICAC with POBO offences
2022-11-14
A former engineer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (Airport Authority) was charged by the ICAC today (November 14) with using various site supervision records containing false statements to mislead the Airport Authority and its fire services facilities design consultant that he had checked soil sampling and fielding testing for the East Fire Station of the Three-runway System Project (3RS Project).
Rocky Cheung Lok-on, 40, former Senior Project Engineer of the Airport Authority, faces 13 counts of agent using a document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO). He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday (November 16) for plea.
At the material time, the Airport Authority engaged AECOM Consulting Services Limited (AECOM) as project consultant for fire services facilities design consultancy services of the 3RS Project. The defendant, then Senior Project Engineer of the Airport Authority, was responsible for managing the consultancy services.
Due to manpower shortage, the defendant was also assigned as Technically Competent Person of AECOM to supervise the ground investigation field works for the design of foundation of the East Fire Station of the 3RS Project between late August and mid-December 2020. When the works were carried out, he was required to conduct full-time on-site supervision and to fill in a site supervision record which would be kept in the site for inspection by the Building Department, the Airport Authority and Registered Geotechnical Engineers.
The defendant was alleged to have used 13 site supervision records containing false statements to mislead the Airport Authority and AECOM in November and December 2020. It was allegedly falsely stated on those records that the defendant had performed the specific tasks and checked soil sampling and field testing on various dates between September and December 2020.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that on the abovementioned dates, in fact the defendant had not carried out his supervision duties to ensure that the sampling and testing were conducted properly for collection of data for compilation of a ground investigation report in support of foundation plans, as typhoon signal number eight was hoisted, or he was on leave or out for meeting.
Under Section 9(3) of the POBO, it is an offence for an agent, with intent to deceive his principal, to use a document containing a false statement. An agent could be an employee, and his employer would be his principal.
The Airport Authority and AECOM have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
Rocky Cheung Lok-on, 40, former Senior Project Engineer of the Airport Authority, faces 13 counts of agent using a document with intent to deceive his principal, contrary to Section 9(3) the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO). He was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday (November 16) for plea.
At the material time, the Airport Authority engaged AECOM Consulting Services Limited (AECOM) as project consultant for fire services facilities design consultancy services of the 3RS Project. The defendant, then Senior Project Engineer of the Airport Authority, was responsible for managing the consultancy services.
Due to manpower shortage, the defendant was also assigned as Technically Competent Person of AECOM to supervise the ground investigation field works for the design of foundation of the East Fire Station of the 3RS Project between late August and mid-December 2020. When the works were carried out, he was required to conduct full-time on-site supervision and to fill in a site supervision record which would be kept in the site for inspection by the Building Department, the Airport Authority and Registered Geotechnical Engineers.
The defendant was alleged to have used 13 site supervision records containing false statements to mislead the Airport Authority and AECOM in November and December 2020. It was allegedly falsely stated on those records that the defendant had performed the specific tasks and checked soil sampling and field testing on various dates between September and December 2020.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that on the abovementioned dates, in fact the defendant had not carried out his supervision duties to ensure that the sampling and testing were conducted properly for collection of data for compilation of a ground investigation report in support of foundation plans, as typhoon signal number eight was hoisted, or he was on leave or out for meeting.
Under Section 9(3) of the POBO, it is an offence for an agent, with intent to deceive his principal, to use a document containing a false statement. An agent could be an employee, and his employer would be his principal.
The Airport Authority and AECOM have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.