Duo faces bribery and theft charges over HD market rental
2005-9-28
Two former staff of a market management contractor of the Housing Department (HD) have been charged today (Wednesday) by the ICAC for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes from market tenants.
Poon Chi-kwong and Lo Chi-keung, both 59 and respectively former manager and former caretaker of Modern Market Management Limited (Modern Market), will appear at Tuen Mun Magistracy at 9:30 am on Friday (September 30) on a total of nine charges –'96 two of bribery and seven of theft.
The alleged offences took place between February 2004 and January 2005, when Modern Market was the principal tenant of Chung Fu (Modern) Market at a Tin Shui Wai housing estate. Stalls and warehouses in the market were sublet to individual tenants throug h Modern Market.
One of the bribery charges alleges Poon and Lo of accepting $6,000 from a market tenant in relation to the negotiation of the monthly rent for a stall to be leased by Modern Market.
The other bribery charge alleges the defendants of soliciting $8,000 from another tenant for a similar reason.
ICAC inquiries revealed that the alleged bribe payments were rewards for the defendants to "negotiate", on behalf of the two tenants, with Modern Market for reduction of the monthly rentals.
The defendants also face a total of seven theft charges, which allege them of stealing a total of $34,927, respectively belonging to Modern Market and four other market tenants.
It is alleged that the defendants had demanded and pocketed various sums of money from the tenants under different pretexts and without the knowledge of Modern Market.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Friday.
Poon Chi-kwong and Lo Chi-keung, both 59 and respectively former manager and former caretaker of Modern Market Management Limited (Modern Market), will appear at Tuen Mun Magistracy at 9:30 am on Friday (September 30) on a total of nine charges –'96 two of bribery and seven of theft.
The alleged offences took place between February 2004 and January 2005, when Modern Market was the principal tenant of Chung Fu (Modern) Market at a Tin Shui Wai housing estate. Stalls and warehouses in the market were sublet to individual tenants throug h Modern Market.
One of the bribery charges alleges Poon and Lo of accepting $6,000 from a market tenant in relation to the negotiation of the monthly rent for a stall to be leased by Modern Market.
The other bribery charge alleges the defendants of soliciting $8,000 from another tenant for a similar reason.
ICAC inquiries revealed that the alleged bribe payments were rewards for the defendants to "negotiate", on behalf of the two tenants, with Modern Market for reduction of the monthly rentals.
The defendants also face a total of seven theft charges, which allege them of stealing a total of $34,927, respectively belonging to Modern Market and four other market tenants.
It is alleged that the defendants had demanded and pocketed various sums of money from the tenants under different pretexts and without the knowledge of Modern Market.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances on Friday.