Ex-site team leader charged by ICAC admits accepting bribes from Third Runway Project carpenters and perversion
2022-12-9
A former site team leader of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project) today (December 9) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had accepted illegal rebates totalling over $66,000 from two carpenters and perverted the course of public justice by instructing the duo to make false statements to the ICAC that they had not paid any rebate. The defendant was among 17 people charged by the Commission with bribery for assisting construction workers to secure employment with the sub-contractor.
Meng Zhijiang, 45, former site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), pleaded guilty to four charges – one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent and two counts of conspiracy for agents to accept advantages, contrary to Sections 9(2)(a) and 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to do an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to February 3, 2023 for mention. The defendant was granted bail.
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.
The court heard that at the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. In June 2020, the defendant was employed by MEL as site team leader of a team of carpenters upon the referral of another site team leader. In order to secure and continue his employment with MEL, the defendant acceded to the site team leader’s request to pay illegal rebate of $100 to $200 per working day and the malpractice lasted about six months.
Between August 2020 and April 2021, the defendant had also conspired with the site team leader to accept illegal rebates totalling over $66,000 from two carpenters in his team for assisting the duo to secure and continue their employment with MEL. The duo respectively earned a daily wage of $1,800 and $2,000 and paid an illegal rebate of $200 and $400 per work day. The defendant collected the illegal rebates and passed the same to the site team leader.
After the site team leader was arrested by the ICAC in March 2021, the defendant conspired with him to instruct the two carpenters and other employees of MEL to make false statements to ICAC officers that no rebate had been paid by MEL employees to the defendant and the site team leader.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. The defendant was prosecution upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice. As the relevant corruption investigation is continuing, the ICAC does not rule out further law enforcement actions.
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 Terry Ho.
Meng Zhijiang, 45, former site team leader of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), pleaded guilty to four charges – one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent and two counts of conspiracy for agents to accept advantages, contrary to Sections 9(2)(a) and 9(1)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and one of conspiracy to do an act tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice, contrary to Common Law and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Acting Principal Magistrate Miss Veronica Heung Shuk-han adjourned the case to February 3, 2023 for mention. The defendant was granted bail.
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.
The court heard that at the material time, MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. In June 2020, the defendant was employed by MEL as site team leader of a team of carpenters upon the referral of another site team leader. In order to secure and continue his employment with MEL, the defendant acceded to the site team leader’s request to pay illegal rebate of $100 to $200 per working day and the malpractice lasted about six months.
Between August 2020 and April 2021, the defendant had also conspired with the site team leader to accept illegal rebates totalling over $66,000 from two carpenters in his team for assisting the duo to secure and continue their employment with MEL. The duo respectively earned a daily wage of $1,800 and $2,000 and paid an illegal rebate of $200 and $400 per work day. The defendant collected the illegal rebates and passed the same to the site team leader.
After the site team leader was arrested by the ICAC in March 2021, the defendant conspired with him to instruct the two carpenters and other employees of MEL to make false statements to ICAC officers that no rebate had been paid by MEL employees to the defendant and the site team leader.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. The defendant was prosecution upon legal advice sought from the Department of Justice. As the relevant corruption investigation is continuing, the ICAC does not rule out further law enforcement actions.
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 Terry Ho.