Taikoo Shing chief estate manager admits taking bribes
2000-1-13
A Chief Estate Manager of Taikoo Shing (Management) Ltd. (TSML), charged by the ICAC, today (Thursday) admitted having accepted about $310,000 in bribes from a contractor in relation to maintenance contracts and job orders for Taikoo Shing in Quarry Bay.
Appearing at Eastern Court, Sidney Charles Pinches, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of accepting about $310,000 in total from proprietor of Lik Hang Engineering Development Limited (Lik Hang) Tse Keung between 1997 and January 2000.
The bribes were for Pinches to show favour to Lik Hang in relation to maintenance contracts and job orders for Taikoo Shing.
Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case to February 3, 2000 for sentence.
Tse Keung, 49, charged with five counts of offering $290,000 in total to Pinches, pleaded not guilty today. Tse ' s case was adjourned to February 11, 2000 for mention.
Pinches was caught red-handed by the ICAC on Tuesday after he took a $10,000 bribe from Tse at the coffee shop of the Grand Plaza Hotel.
TSML, a subsidiary of Swire Properties Ltd., is the management company of Taikoo Shing. Swire Properties rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
Lik Hang was regularly contracted by TSML to perform plumbing and drainage works in Taikoo Shing.
The court heard that in 1997, after Lik Hang was awarded a maintenance contract for Taikoo Shing Phase II, it was agreed between Pinches and Tse that the latter would pay a rebate, calculated at 2.5% of the contract value.
Pinches subsequently accepted about $200,000 from Tse.
Investigations revealed that Pinches further accepted about $80,000 to $100,000 in total from Tse for showing favour to Lik Hang over the day-to-day maintenance work orders from TSML. The bribes, calculated at 3% of the value of work orders on a six-mont h interval, were paid on two occasions between 1998 and 1999.
During a meeting monitored by ICAC officers on January 11, 2000, Pinches accepted from Tse another $10,000, which was part of the outstanding payment of the rebate.
When interviewed under caution, Pinches admitted that he had spent part of the corrupt proceeds and kept the remaining amount in his office.
ICAC officers recovered $190,000 cash in a drawer at Pinches ' office.
Pinches and Tse were granted bail of $100,000 and $10,000 respectively. They were also ordered to surrender their travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong and not to interfere with witnesses.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Terrence Cheung.
Appearing at Eastern Court, Sidney Charles Pinches, 53, pleaded guilty to three counts of accepting about $310,000 in total from proprietor of Lik Hang Engineering Development Limited (Lik Hang) Tse Keung between 1997 and January 2000.
The bribes were for Pinches to show favour to Lik Hang in relation to maintenance contracts and job orders for Taikoo Shing.
Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case to February 3, 2000 for sentence.
Tse Keung, 49, charged with five counts of offering $290,000 in total to Pinches, pleaded not guilty today. Tse ' s case was adjourned to February 11, 2000 for mention.
Pinches was caught red-handed by the ICAC on Tuesday after he took a $10,000 bribe from Tse at the coffee shop of the Grand Plaza Hotel.
TSML, a subsidiary of Swire Properties Ltd., is the management company of Taikoo Shing. Swire Properties rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
Lik Hang was regularly contracted by TSML to perform plumbing and drainage works in Taikoo Shing.
The court heard that in 1997, after Lik Hang was awarded a maintenance contract for Taikoo Shing Phase II, it was agreed between Pinches and Tse that the latter would pay a rebate, calculated at 2.5% of the contract value.
Pinches subsequently accepted about $200,000 from Tse.
Investigations revealed that Pinches further accepted about $80,000 to $100,000 in total from Tse for showing favour to Lik Hang over the day-to-day maintenance work orders from TSML. The bribes, calculated at 3% of the value of work orders on a six-mont h interval, were paid on two occasions between 1998 and 1999.
During a meeting monitored by ICAC officers on January 11, 2000, Pinches accepted from Tse another $10,000, which was part of the outstanding payment of the rebate.
When interviewed under caution, Pinches admitted that he had spent part of the corrupt proceeds and kept the remaining amount in his office.
ICAC officers recovered $190,000 cash in a drawer at Pinches ' office.
Pinches and Tse were granted bail of $100,000 and $10,000 respectively. They were also ordered to surrender their travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong and not to interfere with witnesses.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Terrence Cheung.