Nine months’ jail for bribery and fraud over employment of bar benders
2016-11-23
A then bar bender of an engineering company was today (November 23) sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment at the Kwun Tong Magistracy for soliciting $60,000 and accepting $45,000 as bribes from another bar bender and defrauding three other bar benders of $34,700 in relation to their employment at a construction site of the Housing Department (HD).
Tang Pang-fei, 25, a then bar bender and fixer of On Steel Engineering Limited (OSE), earlier pleaded guilty to five charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and three of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
In sentencing, Deputy Magistrate Mr Yu Chun-pong said the court attached importance to bribery cases, no matter whether they involved public or private organisations.
The magistrate said in this case, the bar benders were greatly affected because they were exploited by bribery as they did not get the wages to which they were entitled. While society would not allow such acts, the defendant deserved an immediate custodial sentence instead of a fine.
The magistrate also ordered the defendant to pay $45,000 as restitution to OSE.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was employed by OSE as a bar bender and fixer at a construction site of the HD in Sau Mau Ping. Due to shortage of manpower, the defendant was asked to recruit more bar benders and fixers to work at the construction site.
In April 2015, the defendant introduced a job to a bar bender at the daily wage of ,930, but asked the bar bender to refund to him $600 out of the daily wage for 25 days a month for a period of four months, totalling $60,000.
One month later, the bar bender was employed by OSE at a daily wage of ,930. Between June 5 and August 10, 2015, the defendant accepted a total of $45,000 from the bar bender as rewards for maintaining his employment with OSE.
The court heard that between an unknown date in April and August 9, 2015, the defendant falsely represented to two other bar benders that they each had to pay $200 per day out of their daily wage of ,720 to the “Boss” of OSE.
With intent to defraud, the defendant induced the duo to release total sums of $9,800 and $2,400 to him respectively.
Between an unknown date in April and August 7, 2015, the defendant also falsely represented to another bar bender that the latter had to pay $300 per day out of his daily wage of ,930 to the “Big Brother” of a construction site of OSE.
With intent to defraud, the defendant induced that bar bender to release a total sum of $22,500 to him, the court was told.
OSE had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Alex Lau.
Tang Pang-fei, 25, a then bar bender and fixer of On Steel Engineering Limited (OSE), earlier pleaded guilty to five charges – one of agent soliciting an advantage and one of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance; and three of fraud, contrary to Section 16A(1) of the Theft Ordinance.
In sentencing, Deputy Magistrate Mr Yu Chun-pong said the court attached importance to bribery cases, no matter whether they involved public or private organisations.
The magistrate said in this case, the bar benders were greatly affected because they were exploited by bribery as they did not get the wages to which they were entitled. While society would not allow such acts, the defendant deserved an immediate custodial sentence instead of a fine.
The magistrate also ordered the defendant to pay $45,000 as restitution to OSE.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was employed by OSE as a bar bender and fixer at a construction site of the HD in Sau Mau Ping. Due to shortage of manpower, the defendant was asked to recruit more bar benders and fixers to work at the construction site.
In April 2015, the defendant introduced a job to a bar bender at the daily wage of ,930, but asked the bar bender to refund to him $600 out of the daily wage for 25 days a month for a period of four months, totalling $60,000.
One month later, the bar bender was employed by OSE at a daily wage of ,930. Between June 5 and August 10, 2015, the defendant accepted a total of $45,000 from the bar bender as rewards for maintaining his employment with OSE.
The court heard that between an unknown date in April and August 9, 2015, the defendant falsely represented to two other bar benders that they each had to pay $200 per day out of their daily wage of ,720 to the “Boss” of OSE.
With intent to defraud, the defendant induced the duo to release total sums of $9,800 and $2,400 to him respectively.
Between an unknown date in April and August 7, 2015, the defendant also falsely represented to another bar bender that the latter had to pay $300 per day out of his daily wage of ,930 to the “Big Brother” of a construction site of OSE.
With intent to defraud, the defendant induced that bar bender to release a total sum of $22,500 to him, the court was told.
OSE had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Alex Lau.