Land Inspector admits accepting $315,000 in bribes over New Territories small house projects
2001-11-9
A Land Inspector I of the Lands Department (LD) today (Friday) admitted at the District Court that he had accepted bribes totalling $315,000 from developers in relation to small house development projects in the New Territories.
Chu Kuen-wai, 49, attached to the Yuen Long District Lands Office, pleaded guilty to five corruption charges.
Judge Line adjourned the case until February 8 next year for mention, pending ICAC further investigation into the case. The defendant was remanded in ICAC custody.
The court heard that LD officers are required to conduct inspections on all newly completed small houses.
LD will issue the developer a certificate of compliance only if all the specified requirements are fulfilled.
Meanwhile, if a small house is built on a "house lot" rather than on agricultural land, a "no objection to occupy" letter instead of a certificate of compliance will be issued to the developer.
Both the certificate or the letter will enable the developer to sell the small houses in the open market.
Because of the large number of applications to build small houses, it normally takes about seven to eight years from the submission of such applications to the issuance of the letter or the certificate.
Chu had conspired with Senior Land Executives Lit Ying-cheung and Wong Wing-kin to accept bribes totalling $300,000 from developers Cheung Tsun-fat, Tang Kwong-ming and a Mr Yeung to expedite the issuing of the certificates/letters for small house develop ment projects in Pat Heung, Ha Tsuen and Shui Lau Tin, Yuen Long respectively.
The defendant also accepted $10,000 from small house developer Kan Chung-wah for the same reason in relation to his development project at Shek Wu Tong, Yuen Long.
Chu also took $5,000 from small house developer Wong Siu-keung as a reward for giving advice on how to expedite the construction of small houses in Sum Chung, Yuen Long.
The offences took place between January 1997 and September this year.
Chu was among 33 suspects arrested in September this year over an alleged $1 million bribery scam involving small house projects.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Winnie Ho, assisted by ICAC officer Wendy Au.
Chu Kuen-wai, 49, attached to the Yuen Long District Lands Office, pleaded guilty to five corruption charges.
Judge Line adjourned the case until February 8 next year for mention, pending ICAC further investigation into the case. The defendant was remanded in ICAC custody.
The court heard that LD officers are required to conduct inspections on all newly completed small houses.
LD will issue the developer a certificate of compliance only if all the specified requirements are fulfilled.
Meanwhile, if a small house is built on a "house lot" rather than on agricultural land, a "no objection to occupy" letter instead of a certificate of compliance will be issued to the developer.
Both the certificate or the letter will enable the developer to sell the small houses in the open market.
Because of the large number of applications to build small houses, it normally takes about seven to eight years from the submission of such applications to the issuance of the letter or the certificate.
Chu had conspired with Senior Land Executives Lit Ying-cheung and Wong Wing-kin to accept bribes totalling $300,000 from developers Cheung Tsun-fat, Tang Kwong-ming and a Mr Yeung to expedite the issuing of the certificates/letters for small house develop ment projects in Pat Heung, Ha Tsuen and Shui Lau Tin, Yuen Long respectively.
The defendant also accepted $10,000 from small house developer Kan Chung-wah for the same reason in relation to his development project at Shek Wu Tong, Yuen Long.
Chu also took $5,000 from small house developer Wong Siu-keung as a reward for giving advice on how to expedite the construction of small houses in Sum Chung, Yuen Long.
The offences took place between January 1997 and September this year.
Chu was among 33 suspects arrested in September this year over an alleged $1 million bribery scam involving small house projects.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Winnie Ho, assisted by ICAC officer Wendy Au.