A vegetable supplier, charged by the ICAC, was today (Thursday) sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment at Eastern Magistracy for offering two joint-venture agreements to a regional manager of a chain supermarket in relation to the supply of onions to the su permarket.

Yau Kin-yi, 45, proprietor of Tai Sze Toi (International) Trading Company, was today found guilty of two counts of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Joseph To said a custodial sentence was imposed on the defendant as it was serious to offer joint-venture contracts to obtain business from the supermarket.

The court heard that in August 2004, the defendant, believing that a regional manager of Wellcome Supermarkets (Wellcome) then employed by Dairy Farm Company Limited would be able to assist him in his business with Wellcome, offered the manager a business opportunity.

The defendant and the manager then entered into a joint-venture agreement for the supply of onions to Wellcome. The manager gave the defendant $80,000 as his part of the investment.

The joint-venture agreement ended in March 2005, resulting in a profit of $80,152. The defendant paid the manager $40,000 being his share of profit.

The court also heard that in September 2005, the defendant offered the manager another joint-venture agreement for the supply of onions to Wellcome for the same reason.

Both of them entered into the agreement, whereby each of them had to contribute $232,500. As the manager still had $80,000 with the defendant from the first agreement, he paid the defendant $152,500 being his share of investment.

Wellcome prohibited its employees from accepting advantages in relation to the company's business, the court was told.

The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Liza Yip, assisted by ICAC officer David Ng.