Ex-IO chairman jailed for bribery
2015-9-25
A former chairman of the incorporated owners (IO) of a private residential building, who was charged by the ICAC, was today (Friday) sentenced to five weeks’ imprisonment at the Kwun Tong Magistracy for soliciting and accepting bribes for the continued engagement of a cleansing contractor of the building.
Yeung Kong-ngai, 44, former chairman of the IO of Shung Wah Court (SWC), was also ordered by Deputy Magistrate Edward Wong Ching-yu to pay $2,400 as restitution to the IO of SWC.
The defendant was earlier found guilty of four charges – two of agent soliciting an advantage and two of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
The court heard that at the material time, Yeung was the chairman of the IO of SWC, a private residential building in To Kwa Wan. Since July 2011, Ho Nam-sang had been retained by the IO to provide cleansing service to SWC.
Following the revision of the statutory minimum wage, the IO resolved to increase the monthly cleansing fee of Ho from $3,400 to $3,800 with effect from June 2013.
One month later, the IO also resolved to cease paying Yeung a monthly allowance of $300 for discharging his duty as the IO chairman, the court heard.
Upon Yeung’s invitation, Ho met him at a restaurant. During the meeting, Yeung told Ho that he would cease claiming the monthly allowance from the IO, and requested Ho to pay him $400 each month as a substitute for the allowance.
In the belief that Yeung was soliciting money from him and had the authority to terminate his service, Ho acceded to the request. Ho then gave Yeung ,200 each on two occasions between August 2013 and March 2014.
The court heard that Yeung told Ho in April 2014 that he had sold his property in SWC and would soon resign from the IO. Yeung then solicited $4,000 from Ho as a reward for permanently awarding the cleansing work of SWC to Ho.
Yeung assured Ho that he would return $4,000 to Ho if the latter lost the cleansing work of SWC in future. Ho turned down Yeung’s solicitation, the court was told.
Ho, 52, who was also charged by the ICAC, earlier pleaded guilty to one count of offering a bribe of ,200 to Yeung, contrary to Section 9(2)(b) of the POBO, while the prosecution offered no evidence to a similar charge against him. On September 14 this year, he was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, at the Kowloon City Magistracy.
The IO of SWC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Olivia Tsang, assisted by ICAC officer Kris Chan.
Yeung Kong-ngai, 44, former chairman of the IO of Shung Wah Court (SWC), was also ordered by Deputy Magistrate Edward Wong Ching-yu to pay $2,400 as restitution to the IO of SWC.
The defendant was earlier found guilty of four charges – two of agent soliciting an advantage and two of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
The court heard that at the material time, Yeung was the chairman of the IO of SWC, a private residential building in To Kwa Wan. Since July 2011, Ho Nam-sang had been retained by the IO to provide cleansing service to SWC.
Following the revision of the statutory minimum wage, the IO resolved to increase the monthly cleansing fee of Ho from $3,400 to $3,800 with effect from June 2013.
One month later, the IO also resolved to cease paying Yeung a monthly allowance of $300 for discharging his duty as the IO chairman, the court heard.
Upon Yeung’s invitation, Ho met him at a restaurant. During the meeting, Yeung told Ho that he would cease claiming the monthly allowance from the IO, and requested Ho to pay him $400 each month as a substitute for the allowance.
In the belief that Yeung was soliciting money from him and had the authority to terminate his service, Ho acceded to the request. Ho then gave Yeung ,200 each on two occasions between August 2013 and March 2014.
The court heard that Yeung told Ho in April 2014 that he had sold his property in SWC and would soon resign from the IO. Yeung then solicited $4,000 from Ho as a reward for permanently awarding the cleansing work of SWC to Ho.
Yeung assured Ho that he would return $4,000 to Ho if the latter lost the cleansing work of SWC in future. Ho turned down Yeung’s solicitation, the court was told.
Ho, 52, who was also charged by the ICAC, earlier pleaded guilty to one count of offering a bribe of ,200 to Yeung, contrary to Section 9(2)(b) of the POBO, while the prosecution offered no evidence to a similar charge against him. On September 14 this year, he was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, at the Kowloon City Magistracy.
The IO of SWC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Olivia Tsang, assisted by ICAC officer Kris Chan.