Parallel goods trader jailed for bribery over smartphone repair services
2020-8-17
A then parallel goods trader, charged by the ICAC, was today (August 17) sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts after admitting bribery over smartphone repair services and access to an internal web-based system containing confidential product information.
Lam Wai, 40, then parallel goods trader, today pleaded guilty to two counts of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung remarked that bribery was a very serious crime which warranted an immediate custodial sentence.
The magistrate said he took a starting point of 18 months’ imprisonment and reduced the defendant’s jail term to 10 months after taking into account his guilty plea and remorse.
The court heard that at the material time, Wah Fung Computer Services Limited (Wah Fung) was an authorised service provider of Apple Asia Limited (Apple Asia) providing repair services for the latter’s products, including smartphones, in Hong Kong.
Wah Fung was authorised to use Apple Asia’s internal web-based system, which contained confidential product information including warranty condition and repair history.
According to Wah Fung’s policy, defective smartphones which were previously rejected for repair by any authorised service providers of Apple Asia, as well as those having any unauthorised modifications or man-made damages, would not be accepted for repair or replacement services.
The court heard that on December 10, 2016, the defendant offered $800 per defective smartphone to a customer service officer and two technicians of Wah Fung for assisting him to submit defective smartphones to Wah Fung for replacement.
On the same day, the defendant also offered $20,000 per month to one of the two aforesaid Wah Fung technicians for allowing him to use the technician’s account with the abovementioned internal web-based system of Apple Asia.
Wah Fung and Apple Asia had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Eddie Chu.
Lam Wai, 40, then parallel goods trader, today pleaded guilty to two counts of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung remarked that bribery was a very serious crime which warranted an immediate custodial sentence.
The magistrate said he took a starting point of 18 months’ imprisonment and reduced the defendant’s jail term to 10 months after taking into account his guilty plea and remorse.
The court heard that at the material time, Wah Fung Computer Services Limited (Wah Fung) was an authorised service provider of Apple Asia Limited (Apple Asia) providing repair services for the latter’s products, including smartphones, in Hong Kong.
Wah Fung was authorised to use Apple Asia’s internal web-based system, which contained confidential product information including warranty condition and repair history.
According to Wah Fung’s policy, defective smartphones which were previously rejected for repair by any authorised service providers of Apple Asia, as well as those having any unauthorised modifications or man-made damages, would not be accepted for repair or replacement services.
The court heard that on December 10, 2016, the defendant offered $800 per defective smartphone to a customer service officer and two technicians of Wah Fung for assisting him to submit defective smartphones to Wah Fung for replacement.
On the same day, the defendant also offered $20,000 per month to one of the two aforesaid Wah Fung technicians for allowing him to use the technician’s account with the abovementioned internal web-based system of Apple Asia.
Wah Fung and Apple Asia had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Eddie Chu.