Ex-Wellcome supervisor jailed for accepting advantages from suppliers
2006-7-20
A former supervisor of a chain supermarket, charged by the ICAC, was today (Thursday) sentenced to nine months' imprisonment at Eastern Magistracy for accepting advantages, including a $10,000 bribe payment and four mobile phones, from suppliers in relati on to food supplies to the supermarket.
David Wong Lit-keung, 44, formerly employed by Dairy Farm Company Limited as a senior category supervisor of Wellcome Supermarkets (Wellcome), was also ordered to return $35,300 and a mobile phone to Wellcome.
In sentencing, Magistrate Winston Leung Wing-chung said in view of the seriousness of the bribery offences and a breach of trust, an immediate custodial sentence must be imposed on the defendant to serve as a deterrent.
The magistrate added that the jail sentence was to convey a message that bribery must not be a way of doing business in Hong Kong.
Wong was earlier found guilty of seven counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, the defendant was responsible for managing pork, beef and poultry supplies to Wellcome.
In February 2005 around Lunar New Year, a meat supplier gave a red packet containing $10,000 to the defendant.
On another occasion in May 2005, the supplier purchased a mobile phone and gave it to the defendant.
The court heard that between June 2004 and October 2005, the defendant also accepted three other mobile phones, as well as massage and sexual services paid for by another meat and fish balls supplier.
The defendant understood that the two suppliers had offered those advantages to him in relation to the selling of their products at Wellcome.
The defendant was arrested on November 1, 2005. When interviewed under caution by ICAC officers, the defendant admitted accepting the above advantages.
After a sum of $24,000 was recovered from the defendant's residence, the defendant admitted that the monies were part of the bribes offered by the above suppliers, and that part of which were proceeds from gambling chips given by one of them.
One of the mobile phones offered by the meat and fish balls supplier was also seized from the defendant.
Wellcome prohibits its employees from accepting advantages from suppliers, the court was told.
Wellcome offered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Sharman Lam, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Chu.
David Wong Lit-keung, 44, formerly employed by Dairy Farm Company Limited as a senior category supervisor of Wellcome Supermarkets (Wellcome), was also ordered to return $35,300 and a mobile phone to Wellcome.
In sentencing, Magistrate Winston Leung Wing-chung said in view of the seriousness of the bribery offences and a breach of trust, an immediate custodial sentence must be imposed on the defendant to serve as a deterrent.
The magistrate added that the jail sentence was to convey a message that bribery must not be a way of doing business in Hong Kong.
Wong was earlier found guilty of seven counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, the defendant was responsible for managing pork, beef and poultry supplies to Wellcome.
In February 2005 around Lunar New Year, a meat supplier gave a red packet containing $10,000 to the defendant.
On another occasion in May 2005, the supplier purchased a mobile phone and gave it to the defendant.
The court heard that between June 2004 and October 2005, the defendant also accepted three other mobile phones, as well as massage and sexual services paid for by another meat and fish balls supplier.
The defendant understood that the two suppliers had offered those advantages to him in relation to the selling of their products at Wellcome.
The defendant was arrested on November 1, 2005. When interviewed under caution by ICAC officers, the defendant admitted accepting the above advantages.
After a sum of $24,000 was recovered from the defendant's residence, the defendant admitted that the monies were part of the bribes offered by the above suppliers, and that part of which were proceeds from gambling chips given by one of them.
One of the mobile phones offered by the meat and fish balls supplier was also seized from the defendant.
Wellcome prohibits its employees from accepting advantages from suppliers, the court was told.
Wellcome offered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Sharman Lam, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Chu.