Works Supervisor of HD charged by ICAC admits soliciting and accepting bribes and unauthorised loans from sub-contractors’ staff
2023-4-28
A Works Supervisor of the Housing Department (HD), charged by the ICAC, today (April 28) admitted at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts that he had solicited and accepted 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.
Wong To, 30, Works Supervisor I (Construction) of the HD, pleaded guilty to 15 charges – 10 of public servant accepting or soliciting an advantage, and five of prescribed officer accepting or soliciting an advantage.
Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi adjourned the case to June 9 for mitigation and granted Wong cash bail pending his next court appearance.
The court heard that between January 2021 and April 2022, Wong was posted by the HD 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 Construction Engineering Limited (Profit Smart) was the bar-bending sub-contractor of the abovementioned block in the construction site. A bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart was under Wong’s supervision. Wong solicited and accepted two bribes totalling $2,500 from the bar-bending works leader for showing favour to him during the inspection of the works performed by Profit Smart. He also solicited six bribes totalling $44,300 from the bar-bending works leader and two other bar-benders of Profit Smart for the same purpose, but the solicitations were rejected by the trio.
Wo Fat Construction Work Company Limited (Wo Fat) was another sub-contractor of the construction site responsible for excavation works. Wong solicited and accepted from a works foreman of Wo Fat three loans totalling $25,500 without the permission of the Chief Executive (CE).
In addition, Wong 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. He also 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.
Co-defendants Lee Pang-kin, 30, former bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart, and Lam Wai-kit, 38, works foreman of Wo Fat, were respectively charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant and three counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer. They also appeared at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today. Lee pleaded not guilty to the charges and his case was adjourned to June 9 for a pre-trial review. Lam did not enter any plea and his case was also adjourned to June 9 for mention.
The HD and the three sub-contractors concerned have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Clarence Mok.
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, pleaded guilty to 15 charges – 10 of public servant accepting or soliciting an advantage, and five of prescribed officer accepting or soliciting an advantage.
Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Cheng Lim-chi adjourned the case to June 9 for mitigation and granted Wong cash bail pending his next court appearance.
The court heard that between January 2021 and April 2022, Wong was posted by the HD 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 Construction Engineering Limited (Profit Smart) was the bar-bending sub-contractor of the abovementioned block in the construction site. A bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart was under Wong’s supervision. Wong solicited and accepted two bribes totalling $2,500 from the bar-bending works leader for showing favour to him during the inspection of the works performed by Profit Smart. He also solicited six bribes totalling $44,300 from the bar-bending works leader and two other bar-benders of Profit Smart for the same purpose, but the solicitations were rejected by the trio.
Wo Fat Construction Work Company Limited (Wo Fat) was another sub-contractor of the construction site responsible for excavation works. Wong solicited and accepted from a works foreman of Wo Fat three loans totalling $25,500 without the permission of the Chief Executive (CE).
In addition, Wong 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. He also 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.
Co-defendants Lee Pang-kin, 30, former bar-bending works leader of Profit Smart, and Lam Wai-kit, 38, works foreman of Wo Fat, were respectively charged with two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant and three counts of offering an advantage to a prescribed officer. They also appeared at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today. Lee pleaded not guilty to the charges and his case was adjourned to June 9 for a pre-trial review. Lam did not enter any plea and his case was also adjourned to June 9 for mention.
The HD and the three sub-contractors concerned have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Clarence Mok.
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.