A former assistant engineer was today (Thursday) jailed for two years and nine months at District Court for substandard works at a site formation project at a slope which subsequently collapsed during the rainy season in 1998.

Law Kui-cheung, 27, formerly employed by Zen Pacific Civil Contractors Limited (Zen Pacific), today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud following a seven-day trial before Judge Day.

The case was scheduled for verdict today.

In sentencing, the judge said the offence committed by the defendant was serious and would cause dire consequences.

The ICAC had received a complaint alleging that inferior materials were used in a government platform formation project at Po Lam Road, Sau Mau Ping and that corruption might be involved in covering up the inadequate works.

On April 27, 1998, a portion of a fill slope, which formed part of the site formation for a housing project, collapsed after a heavy downpour and caused a temporary blockage of Sau Mau Ping Road.

An investigation conducted by an independent geologist revealed that the slope work was defective in various aspects, with major and extensive non-conformities including inadequate and substandard fill materials.

The defendant admitted that he had conspired with Chan Kam-wah, Sin Chi-Kong and others to defraud the Hong Kong Civil Engineering Department (CED) between January and December 1997 by dishonestly :

- falsely representing that the work relating to the upgrading of existing slopes at the site of formation of Po Lam Road Platform used fill material in accordance with specifications;

- substituting the fill material samples taken from the designated locations at the site with other samples;

- submitting the other samples for testing; and

- causing the CED to pay for work that was not done properly.

The prosecution was today represented by Stephen Franklin on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Tony Chan.