A senior chef of a hotel, charged by the ICAC, was today (Tuesday) convicted at Eastern Magistracy of accepting advantages in the form of free prostitution services for writing favourable appraisal reports for his subordinate.

Hung Sau-chi, 58, a senior chef of the Peninsula Hotel, was found guilty of one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

Magistrate Mr Winston Leung Wing-chung adjourned the case until April 24 for sentence, pending probation and community service order reports. The defendant was granted cash bail of $40,000.

The court heard that at the time of the offence, Hung was a senior chef in charge of the staff restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel.

Between January 1996 and May 2004, Wong Chi-ho, a senior cook of the restaurant who was under the supervision of Hung, had paid for prostitution services, calculated at about $300 a week, for Hung.

In return, Hung would treat Wong favourably in preparing the latter's appraisal reports and the staff roster. Hung would also not cause any trouble to the subordinate in relation to his duties.

The management of the hotel prohibits its staff to solicit or accept advantages in relation to the hotel's business, the court was told.

Wong earlier pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, and will be sentenced on the same day as Hung.

The prosecution was today represented by Senior Government Counsel Edmond Lee, assisted by ICAC officer Natasha Li.