Window maintenance contractor charged by ICAC sentenced for quotation forgery over school project
2023-2-9
The proprietor of a window maintenance contractor, charged by the ICAC, was today (February 9) sentenced to nine weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for forging two quotation documents of another contractor for a window inspection and maintenance project of a government-aided primary school. The offences were revealed in the course of a corruption investigation by the ICAC.
Yeung Chak-por, 67, sole director-cum-shareholder of Wang Cheong Aluminium Engineering Company Limited (Wang Cheong), earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery, contrary to Section 71 of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Tsang Hing-tung said a suspended sentence was imposed on the defendant, having considered his guilty plea, remorse and other mitigating factors.
The court heard that in July 2020, ELCHK Ma On Shan Lutheran Primary School was required by the authority to carry out a window inspection and maintenance project under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme. In accordance with the procurement guidelines of the school, at least five written quotations were required for procurements ranging from above $50,000 to $200,000.
In October 2020, the school received 10 quotation documents purportedly issued by five window maintenance contractors, including Wang Cheong, for the project. Each contractor respectively submitted two quotation documents, one for window inspection and one for window maintenance, for the project. Prices quoted by Wang Cheong, respectively $3,000 and $94,100, were the lowest. The procurement exercise was terminated as the school questioned the authenticity of the quotation documents concerned.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that one of the above five window maintenance contractors had never signed and issued the two quotation documents submitted to the school.
The defendant forged the two quotation documents purportedly issued by that window maintenance contractor and sent them to the school. The prices stated in the two documents were higher than the bid offered by Wang Cheong.
ELCHK Ma On Shan Lutheran Primary School had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Kenny Chan, assisted by ICAC officer Salina Siu.
Yeung Chak-por, 67, sole director-cum-shareholder of Wang Cheong Aluminium Engineering Company Limited (Wang Cheong), earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery, contrary to Section 71 of the Crimes Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Tsang Hing-tung said a suspended sentence was imposed on the defendant, having considered his guilty plea, remorse and other mitigating factors.
The court heard that in July 2020, ELCHK Ma On Shan Lutheran Primary School was required by the authority to carry out a window inspection and maintenance project under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme. In accordance with the procurement guidelines of the school, at least five written quotations were required for procurements ranging from above $50,000 to $200,000.
In October 2020, the school received 10 quotation documents purportedly issued by five window maintenance contractors, including Wang Cheong, for the project. Each contractor respectively submitted two quotation documents, one for window inspection and one for window maintenance, for the project. Prices quoted by Wang Cheong, respectively $3,000 and $94,100, were the lowest. The procurement exercise was terminated as the school questioned the authenticity of the quotation documents concerned.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that one of the above five window maintenance contractors had never signed and issued the two quotation documents submitted to the school.
The defendant forged the two quotation documents purportedly issued by that window maintenance contractor and sent them to the school. The prices stated in the two documents were higher than the bid offered by Wang Cheong.
ELCHK Ma On Shan Lutheran Primary School had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Kenny Chan, assisted by ICAC officer Salina Siu.