Policewoman and two others charged with bribery over discounts for designers’ goods
2020-5-19
A Woman Police Constable has been charged by the ICAC today (May 19) with soliciting discounts for purchasing designers’ apparel as well as accepting a pair of earrings at a discounted price from persons involved in a suspected fraud case investigated by the Police.
Lee Sin-wa, 29, Woman Police Constable, faces five charges – four of public servant soliciting an advantage, and one of public servant accepting an advantage, all contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Co-defendants Leung Wei-ka, 45, then department manager of a fashion company, and Zhuang Aolin Vivone, 31, then clerk of a jewellery company, each faces one count of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the POBO.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistracy on Thursday (May 21) for plea.
At the material time, Lee was a Detective Woman Police Constable attached to a District Investigation Team of Yau Tsim District responsible for conducting criminal investigations assigned to the team.
Leung was a department manager of a fashion company, who was entitled to purchase specified products at staff discounted prices. Zhuang was a clerk of a jewellery company, who was able to source jewellery products below market prices.
In July 2017, Lee was assigned to be the investigating officer of a suspected fraud case reported to the Police by Leung, Zhuang and another complainant against a businesswoman in relation to trading of luxury goods (the Police case).
Two charges against Lee allege that on September 20, 2017 and January 15, 2018, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from the aforesaid businesswoman the procurement of handbags of two other fashion brands at discounted prices as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s being or remaining favourably disposed to the businesswoman in the investigation in the Police case.
Another charge against Lee alleges that on January 8, 2018, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from the aforesaid complainant in the Police case the procurement of products from a children’s apparel brand at discounted price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
Both the businesswoman and the complainant declined Lee’s solicitation.
The fourth charge against Lee alleges that on November 22, 2017, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from Leung the procurement of a pair of sneakers from her company at staff discounted price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
The charge against Leung alleges that on December 13, 2017, Leung, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered to Lee the procurement of the abovementioned pair of sneakers at staff discounted price for the same purpose.
It is alleged that the pair of sneakers, at 50 per cent off staff discounted price, was worth $2,450.
The charge against Zhuang alleges that on February 11, 2018, Zhuang, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered to Lee the procurement of a pair of earrings at a price lower than the market price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
The remaining charge against Lee alleges that she, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accepted from Zhuang the procurement of the abovementioned pair of earrings on the same day for the same purpose.
It is alleged that the pair of earrings, which was 20 per cent to 30 per cent lower than the market price, was worth $4,500.
Police and the fashion company have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
Lee Sin-wa, 29, Woman Police Constable, faces five charges – four of public servant soliciting an advantage, and one of public servant accepting an advantage, all contrary to Section 4(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Co-defendants Leung Wei-ka, 45, then department manager of a fashion company, and Zhuang Aolin Vivone, 31, then clerk of a jewellery company, each faces one count of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the POBO.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistracy on Thursday (May 21) for plea.
At the material time, Lee was a Detective Woman Police Constable attached to a District Investigation Team of Yau Tsim District responsible for conducting criminal investigations assigned to the team.
Leung was a department manager of a fashion company, who was entitled to purchase specified products at staff discounted prices. Zhuang was a clerk of a jewellery company, who was able to source jewellery products below market prices.
In July 2017, Lee was assigned to be the investigating officer of a suspected fraud case reported to the Police by Leung, Zhuang and another complainant against a businesswoman in relation to trading of luxury goods (the Police case).
Two charges against Lee allege that on September 20, 2017 and January 15, 2018, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from the aforesaid businesswoman the procurement of handbags of two other fashion brands at discounted prices as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s being or remaining favourably disposed to the businesswoman in the investigation in the Police case.
Another charge against Lee alleges that on January 8, 2018, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from the aforesaid complainant in the Police case the procurement of products from a children’s apparel brand at discounted price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
Both the businesswoman and the complainant declined Lee’s solicitation.
The fourth charge against Lee alleges that on November 22, 2017, Lee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, solicited from Leung the procurement of a pair of sneakers from her company at staff discounted price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
The charge against Leung alleges that on December 13, 2017, Leung, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered to Lee the procurement of the abovementioned pair of sneakers at staff discounted price for the same purpose.
It is alleged that the pair of sneakers, at 50 per cent off staff discounted price, was worth $2,450.
The charge against Zhuang alleges that on February 11, 2018, Zhuang, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered to Lee the procurement of a pair of earrings at a price lower than the market price as an inducement to or reward for Lee’s conducting investigation in the Police case.
The remaining charge against Lee alleges that she, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accepted from Zhuang the procurement of the abovementioned pair of earrings on the same day for the same purpose.
It is alleged that the pair of earrings, which was 20 per cent to 30 per cent lower than the market price, was worth $4,500.
Police and the fashion company have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.