A former site agent was today (Monday) jailed for two and a half years at District Court for conspiracy to defraud in relation to substandard works at a site formation project at the Po Lam Road Platform.

The ICAC has arrested 14 persons, including nine serving staff of the Hongkong Post, for alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate cash proceeds by arranging bogus business transactions using credit cards for Speedpost service totalling $1 million.

The ICAC was commended for its vigilant and determined efforts in cracking a counterfeit credit card fraud, which involved the capturing of card data with an electronic device implanted by a syndicate in a restaurant's point-of-sales terminal.

A member of the Kwai Tsing District Council (KTDC), charged by the ICAC for allegedly making false claims of expenditures from KTDC in relation to various district activities, faced eight additional charges when appearing at Tsuen Wan Magistracy today (Fr iday).

A District Councillor and a woman, arrested by the ICAC in relation to a corruption inquiry in March this year, were charged and appeared in court today (Thursday) on suspected drug offences in separate cases.

A Detective Police Constable (DPC) was charged by the ICAC for allegedly taking bribes from a defendant in a police case for "fixing up" an investigation into alleged blackmail and triad offences.

A former managing director of a listed company was today (Monday) charged by the ICAC and brought to Eastern Court for allegedly misappropriating $20 million in company funds.

In view of a report by a Chinese newspaper, which apparently suggested that the ICAC did not support the government's current austerity drive, an ICAC spokesman today stressed that the Commission fully understood the financial stringency facing the govern ment, and would do its best to achieve savings in support of the government's plan to cut public spending.

The former chairman of a listed company was today (Wednesday) sentenced to four years' imprisonment at District Court for his involvement in a $36 million Letters of Credit (L/C) fraud based on bogus commercial transactions.

A former site agent was today (Monday) convicted at District Court of conspiracy to defraud in relation to substandard works at a site formation project at the Po Lam Road Platform.