Minor Works Contractors Registration Committee member charged with bribery
2012-6-27
A member of the Minor Works Contractors Registration Committee (MWCRC) has been charged by the ICAC today (Wednesday) for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes totalling over $70,000 in relation to the registration of an engineering company as a minor works contractor.
Law Hiu-man, 31, a director of a construction engineering company, faces one count of conspiracy for a public servant to solicit an advantage, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinan ce.
He also faces two charges under Section 4(2)(a) of the POBO –'96 one of public servant soliciting an advantage and one of public servant accepting an advantage.
The defendant will appear in Kowloon City Magistracy at 9:30 am on Friday (June 29) for plea.
Since December 2009, the Buildings Department (BD), the executive arm of Building Authority (BA), has implemented a Minor Works Control System.
Under the system, companies registered as minor works contractors are allowed to carry out minor works through simplified procedures without the prior approval of BA.
To register as a Class I minor works contractor, a company has to pass an assessment interview before a MWCRC.
The MWCRC consists of three members selected on a random basis from a panel, members of which are professionals nominated from the construction sector upon the invitation of BD. The MWCRC is a statutory public body under Schedule I of the POBO.
At all material times, the defendant was a member of the panel. He was appointed by BD to sit on a MWCRC to consider an application from a director of an engineering company for registration as a Class I minor works contractor.
One of the charges alleges that between July 16 and November 10, 2011, the defendant conspired with other persons for him to solicit a sum of money from the engineering company director as a reward for assisting the company in its registration as a Class I registered minor works contractor.
Another charge alleges the defendant of soliciting $70,000 from the engineering company director on November 10, 2011 for the same purpose.
The remaining charge alleges that on November 10, 2011, the defendant accepted $5,000 out of the $70,000 from the engineering company director for the same purpose.
BD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.
Law Hiu-man, 31, a director of a construction engineering company, faces one count of conspiracy for a public servant to solicit an advantage, contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinan ce.
He also faces two charges under Section 4(2)(a) of the POBO –'96 one of public servant soliciting an advantage and one of public servant accepting an advantage.
The defendant will appear in Kowloon City Magistracy at 9:30 am on Friday (June 29) for plea.
Since December 2009, the Buildings Department (BD), the executive arm of Building Authority (BA), has implemented a Minor Works Control System.
Under the system, companies registered as minor works contractors are allowed to carry out minor works through simplified procedures without the prior approval of BA.
To register as a Class I minor works contractor, a company has to pass an assessment interview before a MWCRC.
The MWCRC consists of three members selected on a random basis from a panel, members of which are professionals nominated from the construction sector upon the invitation of BD. The MWCRC is a statutory public body under Schedule I of the POBO.
At all material times, the defendant was a member of the panel. He was appointed by BD to sit on a MWCRC to consider an application from a director of an engineering company for registration as a Class I minor works contractor.
One of the charges alleges that between July 16 and November 10, 2011, the defendant conspired with other persons for him to solicit a sum of money from the engineering company director as a reward for assisting the company in its registration as a Class I registered minor works contractor.
Another charge alleges the defendant of soliciting $70,000 from the engineering company director on November 10, 2011 for the same purpose.
The remaining charge alleges that on November 10, 2011, the defendant accepted $5,000 out of the $70,000 from the engineering company director for the same purpose.
BD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during the investigation.
The defendant has been released on ICAC bail, pending his court appearance on Friday.