TELA officer jailed for misconduct over $230,000 printing contracts
2003-6-6
An officer of the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) was today (Friday) sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment at District Court for misconduct in public office in awarding TELA's printing and production contracts worth about $230,000 i n total.
French Chow Fiat-mann, 42, Senior Executive Officer, was earlier found guilty of two counts of misconduct in public office under the Common Law.
Chow's wife, Iris Louisa Lim Giok-yan, 41, who was also charged for her role in the scam, had pleaded guilty to five counts of forgery. Lim was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
In imposing an immediate custodial sentence on Chow, Judge Alan Wright said: "The offences involve... an abuse of his office, a substantial and corrupt deviation from the fidelity which is required and expected of a person in his position.”
"The public interest was harmed by his conduct in the erosion of the trust which it is entitled to repose in persons in office, in the confidence which it is entitled to place in those administering the affairs of the community," the judge said.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some TELA staff might have accepted advantages from suppliers in return for awarding printing contracts. ICAC inquiries revealed the misconduct and forgery offences.
The court heard that in October 1997, Chow referred Merry Link Promotions Ltd. (Merry Link) to his subordinates for quotations for printing and souvenir production.
Chow had deliberately concealed from his subordinates, who were involved in processing contracts awarded by TELA, that Merry Link was owned and controlled by Lim.
Between October 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998, Chow's subordinates had approached Lim on a number of occasions for quotations for various projects.
On each occasion, Lim, apart from supplying quotations of Merry Link, also provided forged quotations purportedly offered by other companies, so that Merry Link's always appeared to be the lowest.
These other companies either did not exist or had no dealings with TELA.
The court heard that during the above period, production and printing contracts valued at about $230,000 were awarded to Merry Link by circumventing the government's procurement procedures.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Martin Lee.
French Chow Fiat-mann, 42, Senior Executive Officer, was earlier found guilty of two counts of misconduct in public office under the Common Law.
Chow's wife, Iris Louisa Lim Giok-yan, 41, who was also charged for her role in the scam, had pleaded guilty to five counts of forgery. Lim was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
In imposing an immediate custodial sentence on Chow, Judge Alan Wright said: "The offences involve... an abuse of his office, a substantial and corrupt deviation from the fidelity which is required and expected of a person in his position.”
"The public interest was harmed by his conduct in the erosion of the trust which it is entitled to repose in persons in office, in the confidence which it is entitled to place in those administering the affairs of the community," the judge said.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, alleging that some TELA staff might have accepted advantages from suppliers in return for awarding printing contracts. ICAC inquiries revealed the misconduct and forgery offences.
The court heard that in October 1997, Chow referred Merry Link Promotions Ltd. (Merry Link) to his subordinates for quotations for printing and souvenir production.
Chow had deliberately concealed from his subordinates, who were involved in processing contracts awarded by TELA, that Merry Link was owned and controlled by Lim.
Between October 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998, Chow's subordinates had approached Lim on a number of occasions for quotations for various projects.
On each occasion, Lim, apart from supplying quotations of Merry Link, also provided forged quotations purportedly offered by other companies, so that Merry Link's always appeared to be the lowest.
These other companies either did not exist or had no dealings with TELA.
The court heard that during the above period, production and printing contracts valued at about $230,000 were awarded to Merry Link by circumventing the government's procurement procedures.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Liu Yuen-ming, assisted by ICAC officer Martin Lee.