Registered contractor in EMSD senior engineer accepting advantages case faces two additional charges
2023-2-3
A registered contractor of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), who was earlier charged by the ICAC with offering a smartphone to and paying tele-communications service fees for a Senior Building Services Engineer of the EMSD, was today (February 3) laid with two additional charges in relation to the offering of two other tele-communications service fees.
Ho Chi-kuen, 44, director-cum-shareholder of Profit Electrical Engineering Limited (PEEL) and Cheung Ying Electrical Engineering Limited (CYEEL), was earlier charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer, contrary to Section 8(1) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Upon further legal advice from the Department of Justice, the defendant was further laid with two similar charges today when he appeared at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts for a pre-trial review. He pleaded not guilty to all four charges. Magistrate Mr Lam Tsz-kan adjourned the case to February 27 for a second pre-trial review and granted him bail.
In accordance with the Electricity Ordinance, individuals and companies are required to register with the EMSD as registered electrical workers (REWs) and electrical contractors (RECs) respectively for carrying out any electrical work in Hong Kong.
At the material time, both PEEL and CYEEL were RECs while the defendant was an REW. In about 2015, the defendant came to know Zsa Sing-tak, a Senior Building Services Engineer of the EMSD through the introduction of some subcontractors of the department.
In early November 2017, PEEL was engaged to inspect and test a fixed electrical installation at a holiday camp in Lantau Island. On November 30, 2017, the defendant submitted a certificate signed by him in the capacity of an REW of PEEL to the EMSD for endorsement.
The four charges alleged that between January 14, 2016 and February 15, 2019, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, whilst having dealings with the EMSD, offered to Zsa payments totalling about $24,000, being payments for Zsa’s tele-communications service fees and a smartphone. The smartphone was subsequently given to Zsa.
Zsa, 57, was earlier charged by the ICAC with maintaining a living standard above his official emoluments, bribery, misconduct in public office and money laundering in a separate case involving other EMSD minor works contracts. His case was pending committal to the High Court for plea.
The ICAC reminds those having dealings with government departments and public bodies not to offer advantages, including money, gifts, loans, commissions, offices, contracts, services, favours and discharge of liability, to their officers or staff to avoid giving rise to conflicts of interest or breaching of the POBO. They may contact the ICAC should there be any enquiries.
Ho Chi-kuen, 44, director-cum-shareholder of Profit Electrical Engineering Limited (PEEL) and Cheung Ying Electrical Engineering Limited (CYEEL), was earlier charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer, contrary to Section 8(1) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Upon further legal advice from the Department of Justice, the defendant was further laid with two similar charges today when he appeared at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts for a pre-trial review. He pleaded not guilty to all four charges. Magistrate Mr Lam Tsz-kan adjourned the case to February 27 for a second pre-trial review and granted him bail.
In accordance with the Electricity Ordinance, individuals and companies are required to register with the EMSD as registered electrical workers (REWs) and electrical contractors (RECs) respectively for carrying out any electrical work in Hong Kong.
At the material time, both PEEL and CYEEL were RECs while the defendant was an REW. In about 2015, the defendant came to know Zsa Sing-tak, a Senior Building Services Engineer of the EMSD through the introduction of some subcontractors of the department.
In early November 2017, PEEL was engaged to inspect and test a fixed electrical installation at a holiday camp in Lantau Island. On November 30, 2017, the defendant submitted a certificate signed by him in the capacity of an REW of PEEL to the EMSD for endorsement.
The four charges alleged that between January 14, 2016 and February 15, 2019, the defendant, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, whilst having dealings with the EMSD, offered to Zsa payments totalling about $24,000, being payments for Zsa’s tele-communications service fees and a smartphone. The smartphone was subsequently given to Zsa.
Zsa, 57, was earlier charged by the ICAC with maintaining a living standard above his official emoluments, bribery, misconduct in public office and money laundering in a separate case involving other EMSD minor works contracts. His case was pending committal to the High Court for plea.
The ICAC reminds those having dealings with government departments and public bodies not to offer advantages, including money, gifts, loans, commissions, offices, contracts, services, favours and discharge of liability, to their officers or staff to avoid giving rise to conflicts of interest or breaching of the POBO. They may contact the ICAC should there be any enquiries.