Ex-Chief Building Services Engineer gets 6 years for $1.5m bribery after re-trial
2006-11-14
A former Chief Building Services Engineer of the Housing Department (HD), charged by the ICAC, was today (Tuesday) sentenced to six years' imprisonment at the Court of First Instance for accepting over $1 million in bribes from approved building services contractors and suppliers after a re-trial.
Chan Kau-tai, 61, was yesterday found guilty by a jury of nine counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Chan was also ordered to pay a restitution of $1.04 million to the Housing Authority (HA), while another $60,000 cash seized by the ICAC from his office was forfeited.
In sentencing, Mr Justice Michael Lunn said the bribery offences committed by the defendant were serious. They reflected a sustained pattern of behaviour for over eight months, and constituted a gross breach of trust, the judge added.
Seven of the charges stated that the defendant had accepted $900,000 in total from five Housing Authority (HA) approved contractors and suppliers between November 2000 and August 2001, for rendering them assistance in relation to their business transactio ns with the HA and/or HD, and their performance of works.
Another charge stated that between June and July 2000, the defendant had agreed to accept $400,000 from one of the contractors for the same reason.
The remaining bribery charge stated that in July 2001, the defendant had accepted $200,000 from another HA supplier for assisting the supplier’s son in his application for a government contract engineer post.
In January this year, the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial following the defendant's application to appeal against his earlier conviction was allowed.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Shaun Kelly, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang.
Chan Kau-tai, 61, was yesterday found guilty by a jury of nine counts of public servant accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Chan was also ordered to pay a restitution of $1.04 million to the Housing Authority (HA), while another $60,000 cash seized by the ICAC from his office was forfeited.
In sentencing, Mr Justice Michael Lunn said the bribery offences committed by the defendant were serious. They reflected a sustained pattern of behaviour for over eight months, and constituted a gross breach of trust, the judge added.
Seven of the charges stated that the defendant had accepted $900,000 in total from five Housing Authority (HA) approved contractors and suppliers between November 2000 and August 2001, for rendering them assistance in relation to their business transactio ns with the HA and/or HD, and their performance of works.
Another charge stated that between June and July 2000, the defendant had agreed to accept $400,000 from one of the contractors for the same reason.
The remaining bribery charge stated that in July 2001, the defendant had accepted $200,000 from another HA supplier for assisting the supplier’s son in his application for a government contract engineer post.
In January this year, the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial following the defendant's application to appeal against his earlier conviction was allowed.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Shaun Kelly, assisted by ICAC officer Diana Pang.