Flat owner charged by ICAC admits offering ‘laisee’ to property agent to avoid paying commission
2021-12-16
A property owner, charged by the ICAC, today (December 16) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had offered a “laisee” of $10,000 to a property agent of an estate agency in a bid to avoid paying the agency commission in relation to the sale of his flat.
Leung Ho-kwong, 55, retired, pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Acting Chief Magistrate Mr Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned the case to January 6 next year for sentence, pending background and community service order reports of the defendant. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that in November 2020, the defendant entrusted Forever Agency Limited (FAL) to sell his flat in Tsuen Wan. With the assistance of a property agent of FAL, the defendant sold the flat at $7.08 million and agreed to pay one per cent of the transaction price, which was $70,800, to FAL as agency commission after completion of the property transaction.
After the property transaction was completed on February 8, 2021, the above property agent repeatedly urged the defendant to pay the agency commission. At night on February 9, 2021, the defendant claimed that he would offer the property agent a “laisee” of $10,000 in private, hoping that the latter would stop urging him to pay a commission payment of $70,800 to FAL. The property agent immediately declined the offer.
FAL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Terri Kwok.
The ICAC reminds property owners and buyers to refrain from offering any illegal advantage to property agents as an inducement to or reward for the latter to abuse their authority at work, otherwise both the offeror and recipient of the bribe may commit an offence. Business organisations should report to the ICAC immediately should they come across any suspicion of corruption in the organisations.
Leung Ho-kwong, 55, retired, pleaded guilty to one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Acting Chief Magistrate Mr Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned the case to January 6 next year for sentence, pending background and community service order reports of the defendant. The defendant was granted cash bail.
The court heard that in November 2020, the defendant entrusted Forever Agency Limited (FAL) to sell his flat in Tsuen Wan. With the assistance of a property agent of FAL, the defendant sold the flat at $7.08 million and agreed to pay one per cent of the transaction price, which was $70,800, to FAL as agency commission after completion of the property transaction.
After the property transaction was completed on February 8, 2021, the above property agent repeatedly urged the defendant to pay the agency commission. At night on February 9, 2021, the defendant claimed that he would offer the property agent a “laisee” of $10,000 in private, hoping that the latter would stop urging him to pay a commission payment of $70,800 to FAL. The property agent immediately declined the offer.
FAL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Terri Kwok.
The ICAC reminds property owners and buyers to refrain from offering any illegal advantage to property agents as an inducement to or reward for the latter to abuse their authority at work, otherwise both the offeror and recipient of the bribe may commit an offence. Business organisations should report to the ICAC immediately should they come across any suspicion of corruption in the organisations.