Ex-airline staff faces court for alleged cargo graft
2002-11-7
A former employee of an airline company, charged by the ICAC, appeared in Eastern Magistracy today (Thursday) for allegedly accepting bribe payments totalling $460,000 for reserving cargo space on aircraft.
Cheng Chong-shing, 40, former senior freight officer of Qantas Freight Hong Kong affiliated with Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas Airways), faced six counts of accepting an advantage, two of conspiracy to accept advantages, and two of conspiracy to use a do cument with intent to deceive his principal.
No plea was taken. Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case until November 14, 2002, pending transfer to District Court.
Two of the charges alleged Cheng of accepting about $11,000 in total from the proprietor of a shipping company as rewards for reserving cargo space for the company.
Two other charges stated that Cheng had allegedly conspired with a manageress of a forwarding company for Cheng to accept a monthly bribe payment of $8,000, which was later increased to $10,000, from her for the same reason.
Cheng also faced four counts of accepting bribes totalling $43,000 from the manageress for the same reason.
The remaining two charges alleged Cheng of conspiring with the manageress to use false invoices relating to the charging rate on cargo delivered, with intent to mislead Qantas Airways.
The alleged offences took place between September 1997 and May 2002.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $10,000. He was ordered not to leave Hong Kong, not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, to reside at the reported address, and to inform the ICAC of any change of address within 24 hours.
Cheng was arrested in an ICAC operation in June this year. Qantas Airways had rendered full cooperation to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Phoebe Saesam Lai-keet.
Cheng Chong-shing, 40, former senior freight officer of Qantas Freight Hong Kong affiliated with Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas Airways), faced six counts of accepting an advantage, two of conspiracy to accept advantages, and two of conspiracy to use a do cument with intent to deceive his principal.
No plea was taken. Magistrate Mr Ian Candy adjourned the case until November 14, 2002, pending transfer to District Court.
Two of the charges alleged Cheng of accepting about $11,000 in total from the proprietor of a shipping company as rewards for reserving cargo space for the company.
Two other charges stated that Cheng had allegedly conspired with a manageress of a forwarding company for Cheng to accept a monthly bribe payment of $8,000, which was later increased to $10,000, from her for the same reason.
Cheng also faced four counts of accepting bribes totalling $43,000 from the manageress for the same reason.
The remaining two charges alleged Cheng of conspiring with the manageress to use false invoices relating to the charging rate on cargo delivered, with intent to mislead Qantas Airways.
The alleged offences took place between September 1997 and May 2002.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $10,000. He was ordered not to leave Hong Kong, not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, to reside at the reported address, and to inform the ICAC of any change of address within 24 hours.
Cheng was arrested in an ICAC operation in June this year. Qantas Airways had rendered full cooperation to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Phoebe Saesam Lai-keet.