Ex-Land Inspector and developer jailed for bribery over village house developments
2004-1-14
A former Land Inspector of the Lands Department (LD) and a developer, charged by the ICAC in separate cases, were today (Wednesday) sentenced at District Court for bribery in relation to village house development projects in Yuen Long.
In the first case, Lee Yue-yuen, 61, former Land Inspector, received a jail sentence of 39 months. He was ordered to pay a restitution of $300,000 to the government.
Lee was earlier found guilty of two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, and one of conspiracy to defraud.
In sentencing, Judge Fung said a custodial sentence had to be imposed as a deterrent in view of the serious nature of the offences.
The court heard that Lee had conspired with Fung Ping-yan, a village house developer, to accept $500,000 to $600,000 from Fung as rewards for creating and/or providing LD records or documents required for the redevelopment of certain village houses.
Lee also conspired with Fung and another person to defraud AIG Finance (Hong Kong) Limited (AIG) (formerly known as SPC Credit Limited) by dishonestly submitting to AIG false LD documents in relation to some village houses in support of applications for m ortgage finance.
The bribery and conspiracy offences took place between 1990 and 1999.
In the second case, Fung Ping-yan, 50, director and shareholder of Endenne Development Limited and Busy World Development Limited, was sentenced to 45 months' imprisonment for offering $10 million in bribes to an AIG employee and several hundred thousand dollars to Lee for their assistance in obtaining a number of loans with forged LD documents.
Fung earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, two of conspiracy to offer advantages to a public servant, and one of conspiracy to defraud. He subsequently testified for the prosecution in Lee's trial.
Judge Fung reprimanded the defendant for his role in the scam, which lasted a long period of 10 years.
The court heard that between 1990 and 1999, Fung had obtained numerous loans from AIG after pledging a number of village houses in Yuen Long and Pat Heung as security.
Fung subsequently defaulted on repayment to AIG in relation to several of the loans granted to him. It was discovered that six of the properties pledged were either non-existent or of a much lower value.
ICAC investigation revealed that Fung had paid a total of $10 million in bribes to an AIG employee for assistance in granting the loans.
The court also heard that Fung, on several occasions, had given bribe payments to Lee for obtaining forged LD documents in support of the loan applications. On each occasion, the bribe payment involved $30,000 to $50,000.
The prosecution in both cases was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Alex Lee, assisted by ICAC officer Pan Wai-fat.
In the first case, Lee Yue-yuen, 61, former Land Inspector, received a jail sentence of 39 months. He was ordered to pay a restitution of $300,000 to the government.
Lee was earlier found guilty of two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages, and one of conspiracy to defraud.
In sentencing, Judge Fung said a custodial sentence had to be imposed as a deterrent in view of the serious nature of the offences.
The court heard that Lee had conspired with Fung Ping-yan, a village house developer, to accept $500,000 to $600,000 from Fung as rewards for creating and/or providing LD records or documents required for the redevelopment of certain village houses.
Lee also conspired with Fung and another person to defraud AIG Finance (Hong Kong) Limited (AIG) (formerly known as SPC Credit Limited) by dishonestly submitting to AIG false LD documents in relation to some village houses in support of applications for m ortgage finance.
The bribery and conspiracy offences took place between 1990 and 1999.
In the second case, Fung Ping-yan, 50, director and shareholder of Endenne Development Limited and Busy World Development Limited, was sentenced to 45 months' imprisonment for offering $10 million in bribes to an AIG employee and several hundred thousand dollars to Lee for their assistance in obtaining a number of loans with forged LD documents.
Fung earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, two of conspiracy to offer advantages to a public servant, and one of conspiracy to defraud. He subsequently testified for the prosecution in Lee's trial.
Judge Fung reprimanded the defendant for his role in the scam, which lasted a long period of 10 years.
The court heard that between 1990 and 1999, Fung had obtained numerous loans from AIG after pledging a number of village houses in Yuen Long and Pat Heung as security.
Fung subsequently defaulted on repayment to AIG in relation to several of the loans granted to him. It was discovered that six of the properties pledged were either non-existent or of a much lower value.
ICAC investigation revealed that Fung had paid a total of $10 million in bribes to an AIG employee for assistance in granting the loans.
The court also heard that Fung, on several occasions, had given bribe payments to Lee for obtaining forged LD documents in support of the loan applications. On each occasion, the bribe payment involved $30,000 to $50,000.
The prosecution in both cases was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Alex Lee, assisted by ICAC officer Pan Wai-fat.