Ex-LCSD staff guilty of bribery over concert tickets
2011-8-22
Two former staff of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), charged by the ICAC, were today (Monday) convicted at Kowloon City Magistracy of accepting advantages consisting of concert tickets, credit card cash rebates and bonus points in rela tion to the purchase of concert tickets.
Mui Shuk-ming, 38, and Hilda Wong Hiu-wan, 35, former box office assistants of LCSD, were each found guilty of one count of public servant accepting advantages, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Deputy Magistrate Ko Wai-hung adjourned the case until September 6 for sentence, pending background reports. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that at the material times, Mui and Wong were both box office assistants posted to the Central Booking Office (CBO) of LCSD.
Apart from handling free telephone reservation of concert tickets, Mui and Wong were also assigned to work as relief staff at various box offices of LCSD, including the Hong Kong Coliseum (HKC).
In 2005, Mui and Wong came to know a supervisor of a kiosk at HKC who often attended the HKC’s box office for bulk ticket purchases.
Upon the kiosk supervisor’s request, Mui and Wong assisted him in reserving large amounts of concert tickets at CBO.
Besides, Mui and Wong, whilst on duty at various box offices, used credit cards of their close relatives to purchase 1,000-odd concert tickets at a total cost of over $215,000 from the Urban Ticketing System Box Office, a computerised ticketing system of LCSD.
The court heard that between January 2005 and November 2009, Mui accepted concert tickets, over $4,000 in credit card cash rebates and over 485,000 bonus points as rewards for assisting the kiosk supervisor in ticket purchases. Mui also used some of the bonus points to redeem $400 worth of shopping coupons.
Mui was subsequently arrested by ICAC officers. During a search of her home, ICAC officers recovered the shopping coupons.
The court also heard that between January 2007 and December 2009, Wong earned over $2,200 in cash rebates and 27,100 bonus points from credit card ticket purchases for the kiosk supervisor.
LCSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Selwyn So, assisted by ICAC officer Fiona Chan.
Mui Shuk-ming, 38, and Hilda Wong Hiu-wan, 35, former box office assistants of LCSD, were each found guilty of one count of public servant accepting advantages, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Deputy Magistrate Ko Wai-hung adjourned the case until September 6 for sentence, pending background reports. The defendants were remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The court heard that at the material times, Mui and Wong were both box office assistants posted to the Central Booking Office (CBO) of LCSD.
Apart from handling free telephone reservation of concert tickets, Mui and Wong were also assigned to work as relief staff at various box offices of LCSD, including the Hong Kong Coliseum (HKC).
In 2005, Mui and Wong came to know a supervisor of a kiosk at HKC who often attended the HKC’s box office for bulk ticket purchases.
Upon the kiosk supervisor’s request, Mui and Wong assisted him in reserving large amounts of concert tickets at CBO.
Besides, Mui and Wong, whilst on duty at various box offices, used credit cards of their close relatives to purchase 1,000-odd concert tickets at a total cost of over $215,000 from the Urban Ticketing System Box Office, a computerised ticketing system of LCSD.
The court heard that between January 2005 and November 2009, Mui accepted concert tickets, over $4,000 in credit card cash rebates and over 485,000 bonus points as rewards for assisting the kiosk supervisor in ticket purchases. Mui also used some of the bonus points to redeem $400 worth of shopping coupons.
Mui was subsequently arrested by ICAC officers. During a search of her home, ICAC officers recovered the shopping coupons.
The court also heard that between January 2007 and December 2009, Wong earned over $2,200 in cash rebates and 27,100 bonus points from credit card ticket purchases for the kiosk supervisor.
LCSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Selwyn So, assisted by ICAC officer Fiona Chan.