Works Supervisor of HD charged by ICAC with soliciting and accepting bribes and unauthorised loans from sub-contractors’ staff
2023-3-21
A Works Supervisor of the Housing Department (HD) was charged by the ICAC today (March 21) for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes and unauthorised loans totalling over $90,000 from six staff of three sub-contractors of a public housing construction site in Tai Po over works inspection. Also charged in the case were two sub-contractor staff who offered bribes and loans to the Works Supervisor.
Wong To, 30, Works Supervisor I (Construction) of the HD, faces 15 charges – 10 of public servant accepting or soliciting an advantage, and five of prescribed officer accepting or soliciting an advantage.
Lee Pang-kin, 30, former bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart Construction Engineering Limited (Profit Smart), and Lam Wai-kit, 38, works foreman of Wo Fat Construction Work Company Limited (Wo Fat), face two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant and three counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer respectively.
The three defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts for plea on Thursday (March 23).
Between January 2021 and April 2022, Wong, HD’s Works Supervisor, was posted to a construction site for building eight blocks of public housing in Tai Po. He was responsible for monitoring the quality and progress of the construction works of one of the blocks. He could request workers of the contractor and sub-contractors to rectify any substandard works, and was required to submit the relevant inspection forms to the HD.
Profit Smart was the bar-bending sub-contractor of the abovementioned block in the construction site. Its bar-bending works leader, Lee, was under the supervision of Wong. Wong allegedly solicited and accepted two bribes totalling $2,500 offered by Lee for showing favour to Lee during the inspection of the works performed by Profit Smart. Wong also allegedly solicited six bribes totalling $44,300 from Lee and two other bar-benders of Profit Smart for the same purpose, but the solicitations were rejected by the trio.
Wo Fat was another sub-contractor of the construction site responsible for excavation works. Wong allegedly solicited and accepted from Lam, Wo Fat’s works foreman, three loans totalling $25,500 without the permission of the Chief Executive (CE). Meanwhile, Lam allegedly offered the three loans to Wong while having dealings with the HD.
In addition, Wong was alleged to have solicited two bribes totalling $6,000 from a cement sand mortar works foreman of a third sub-contractor for showing favour to the latter during the inspection of the works performed by the sub-contractor. It is further alleged that Wong solicited a loan of $3,000 and accepted a loan of $10,000 from an iron works worker of the sub-contractor who had worked in the construction site without the permission of the CE.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, Wong had submitted to the HD over 220 inspection forms in relation to Profit Smart’s bar-bending works and over 160 inspection forms concerning the third sub-contractor’s cement sand mortar works.
It was also revealed that Wong had never sought the permission for soliciting and accepting loans pursuant to the relevant government regulation, the Acceptance of Advantages (CE’s Permission) Notice, when he borrowed money from the sub-contractor staff concerned.
The HD and the three sub-contractors concerned have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds civil servants who are responsible for supervising contractors of the Government to perform their supervisory functions dutifully to ensure that the contractual requirements are met in order to safeguard the public interest. Civil servants should never abuse their official capacity to solicit or accept advantages.
Wong To, 30, Works Supervisor I (Construction) of the HD, faces 15 charges – 10 of public servant accepting or soliciting an advantage, and five of prescribed officer accepting or soliciting an advantage.
Lee Pang-kin, 30, former bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart Construction Engineering Limited (Profit Smart), and Lam Wai-kit, 38, works foreman of Wo Fat Construction Work Company Limited (Wo Fat), face two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant and three counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer respectively.
The three defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts for plea on Thursday (March 23).
Between January 2021 and April 2022, Wong, HD’s Works Supervisor, was posted to a construction site for building eight blocks of public housing in Tai Po. He was responsible for monitoring the quality and progress of the construction works of one of the blocks. He could request workers of the contractor and sub-contractors to rectify any substandard works, and was required to submit the relevant inspection forms to the HD.
Profit Smart was the bar-bending sub-contractor of the abovementioned block in the construction site. Its bar-bending works leader, Lee, was under the supervision of Wong. Wong allegedly solicited and accepted two bribes totalling $2,500 offered by Lee for showing favour to Lee during the inspection of the works performed by Profit Smart. Wong also allegedly solicited six bribes totalling $44,300 from Lee and two other bar-benders of Profit Smart for the same purpose, but the solicitations were rejected by the trio.
Wo Fat was another sub-contractor of the construction site responsible for excavation works. Wong allegedly solicited and accepted from Lam, Wo Fat’s works foreman, three loans totalling $25,500 without the permission of the Chief Executive (CE). Meanwhile, Lam allegedly offered the three loans to Wong while having dealings with the HD.
In addition, Wong was alleged to have solicited two bribes totalling $6,000 from a cement sand mortar works foreman of a third sub-contractor for showing favour to the latter during the inspection of the works performed by the sub-contractor. It is further alleged that Wong solicited a loan of $3,000 and accepted a loan of $10,000 from an iron works worker of the sub-contractor who had worked in the construction site without the permission of the CE.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the HD. Enquiries revealed that at the material time, Wong had submitted to the HD over 220 inspection forms in relation to Profit Smart’s bar-bending works and over 160 inspection forms concerning the third sub-contractor’s cement sand mortar works.
It was also revealed that Wong had never sought the permission for soliciting and accepting loans pursuant to the relevant government regulation, the Acceptance of Advantages (CE’s Permission) Notice, when he borrowed money from the sub-contractor staff concerned.
The HD and the three sub-contractors concerned have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The ICAC reminds civil servants who are responsible for supervising contractors of the Government to perform their supervisory functions dutifully to ensure that the contractual requirements are met in order to safeguard the public interest. Civil servants should never abuse their official capacity to solicit or accept advantages.