FSD officer and 27 others arrested for suspected corruption over fire service installation contractor registration
2003-4-9
The ICAC has arrested 28 persons, including a Divisional Officer of the Fire Services Department (FSD), for suspected corruption in relation to applications for registration as fire service installation contractors (FSICs).
Also arrested in operation codenamed " Trident ", which commenced on Monday (April 7), were seven FSICs, four engineering company proprietors, a construction company director, eight licensed electrical engineers, and five licensed plumbers.
A clerk of a property management company, and a secretary of a residential building's owners incorporation were also arrested for alleged corruption regarding the award of fire service installation maintenance contracts.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that an FSD officer might have corruptly assisted a fire service installation contractor in obtaining Class 3 FSIC registration.
Under the Fire Service (Installation Contractors) Regulations, a registered Class 3 FSIC is fit to maintain, repair and inspect portable equipment, while Classes 1 and 2 FSICs deal with other types of fire service installation and equipment.
To qualify for registration as a Class 3 FSIC from FSD, an applicant is required to pass a written examination, an interview as well as an inspection of his workshop.
It was alleged that one of the arrested FSICs, acting as a "middleman", had colluded with other FSICs to offer advantages to the arrested FSD Divisional Officer.
In return, the arrested FSD officer had allegedly leaked information on the qualifying examination to them.
Inquiries also revealed that the "middleman" had allegedly assisted a number of engineering company proprietors to fraudulently obtain Classes 1 and 2 registration from FSD by arranging licensed electrical engineers and licensed plumbers to misrepresent t hemselves to be full-time employees of the engineering companies.
FSD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The arrestees have been released on ICAC bail. Inquiries into the corruption allegation are continuing.
Also arrested in operation codenamed " Trident ", which commenced on Monday (April 7), were seven FSICs, four engineering company proprietors, a construction company director, eight licensed electrical engineers, and five licensed plumbers.
A clerk of a property management company, and a secretary of a residential building's owners incorporation were also arrested for alleged corruption regarding the award of fire service installation maintenance contracts.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that an FSD officer might have corruptly assisted a fire service installation contractor in obtaining Class 3 FSIC registration.
Under the Fire Service (Installation Contractors) Regulations, a registered Class 3 FSIC is fit to maintain, repair and inspect portable equipment, while Classes 1 and 2 FSICs deal with other types of fire service installation and equipment.
To qualify for registration as a Class 3 FSIC from FSD, an applicant is required to pass a written examination, an interview as well as an inspection of his workshop.
It was alleged that one of the arrested FSICs, acting as a "middleman", had colluded with other FSICs to offer advantages to the arrested FSD Divisional Officer.
In return, the arrested FSD officer had allegedly leaked information on the qualifying examination to them.
Inquiries also revealed that the "middleman" had allegedly assisted a number of engineering company proprietors to fraudulently obtain Classes 1 and 2 registration from FSD by arranging licensed electrical engineers and licensed plumbers to misrepresent t hemselves to be full-time employees of the engineering companies.
FSD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The arrestees have been released on ICAC bail. Inquiries into the corruption allegation are continuing.