Six former HyD subcontractor staff in court for submitting false road inspection reports
2020-5-4
Four former assistant road inspectors of a subcontractor of the Highways Department (HyD), charged by the ICAC, today (May 4) admitted that they had separately conspired with their supervisors to defraud the HyD by submitting road inspection reports containing photographs with falsely altered dates, while two others were sentenced for similar offences.
Kwan Siu-hang, 30; Kwong Chun-ho, 29; Lo Ting-fung, 28; and Lam Chi-shing, 27; all former assistant road inspectors of Wah Fung Engineering Company Limited (Wah Fung), each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
Deputy Magistrate Mr Wong Heung-yung adjourned the case until July 13 for sentence and granted the defendants bail.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that in 2017, the HyD awarded a term contract to Chiu Hing Construction and Transportation Company Limited (Chiu Hing), which then subcontracted related works to Wah Fung.
Under the contract, Chiu Hing was required to deploy road inspectors to conduct regular road inspections on Hong Kong Island and prepare reports supported by real-time photographs of the roads taken during the inspections.
At the material time, the defendants were employed by Wah Fung as assistant road inspectors to carry out inspections and prepare reports for roads in Happy Valley district, southeastern and southwestern districts of Hong Kong Island and Wan Chai district respectively.
Kwan and Lo were both under the supervision of a project manager of Chiu Hing, an assistant to network manager and a senior site agent of Wah Fung. Lam was also supervised by the assistant to network manager while Kwong was supervised by three road inspectors of Wah Fung.
Due to insufficient manpower to complete the necessary road inspections, the defendants conspired with their respective supervisors between different periods from May to October 2017 to defraud the HyD by dishonestly submitting various road inspection reports containing photographs of roads of which the dates had been falsely altered.
The court heard that the defendants had modified the dates shown on the relevant photographs purporting that they were taken on the dates when the corresponding road inspections were performed.
As a result, the HyD was induced to accept the actual conditions of the roads on the dates as specified on the photographs were as depicted in them.
Appearing in court today, co-defendants Lam Hung-fai, 30; and Lee Yin-hong, 32; both former assistant road inspectors of Wah Fung, were both sentenced to a 12-month probation order. They earlier each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
The HyD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officers Lily Kam and Arnold Lee.
Kwan Siu-hang, 30; Kwong Chun-ho, 29; Lo Ting-fung, 28; and Lam Chi-shing, 27; all former assistant road inspectors of Wah Fung Engineering Company Limited (Wah Fung), each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
Deputy Magistrate Mr Wong Heung-yung adjourned the case until July 13 for sentence and granted the defendants bail.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that in 2017, the HyD awarded a term contract to Chiu Hing Construction and Transportation Company Limited (Chiu Hing), which then subcontracted related works to Wah Fung.
Under the contract, Chiu Hing was required to deploy road inspectors to conduct regular road inspections on Hong Kong Island and prepare reports supported by real-time photographs of the roads taken during the inspections.
At the material time, the defendants were employed by Wah Fung as assistant road inspectors to carry out inspections and prepare reports for roads in Happy Valley district, southeastern and southwestern districts of Hong Kong Island and Wan Chai district respectively.
Kwan and Lo were both under the supervision of a project manager of Chiu Hing, an assistant to network manager and a senior site agent of Wah Fung. Lam was also supervised by the assistant to network manager while Kwong was supervised by three road inspectors of Wah Fung.
Due to insufficient manpower to complete the necessary road inspections, the defendants conspired with their respective supervisors between different periods from May to October 2017 to defraud the HyD by dishonestly submitting various road inspection reports containing photographs of roads of which the dates had been falsely altered.
The court heard that the defendants had modified the dates shown on the relevant photographs purporting that they were taken on the dates when the corresponding road inspections were performed.
As a result, the HyD was induced to accept the actual conditions of the roads on the dates as specified on the photographs were as depicted in them.
Appearing in court today, co-defendants Lam Hung-fai, 30; and Lee Yin-hong, 32; both former assistant road inspectors of Wah Fung, were both sentenced to a 12-month probation order. They earlier each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
The HyD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officers Lily Kam and Arnold Lee.