Garage proprietors charged by ICAC admit offering bribes to secure business
2022-4-28
Two proprietors of a garage, charged by the ICAC, today (April 28) admitted at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts that they had offered bribes to a staff member of an investment company for securing vehicle maintenance orders from the latter.
Yip Pui-yam, 63, and Yip Yun-tim, 71, respectively proprietor and former proprietor of United Motors Company (United Motors), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Principal Magistrate Ms Ada Yim Shun-yee adjourned the case to June 9 for mention. The defendants were granted cash bail.
The court heard that at the material time, Yip Pui-yam was the sole proprietor of United Motors. Its former proprietor, Yip Yun-tim, also assisted in operating the garage.
Between January 2018 and October 2020, Asia Financial Holdings Limited (Asia Financial Holdings) awarded 39 vehicle maintenance orders involving maintenance fees totalling about $360,000 to United Motors upon the recommendation of a staff member.
The defendants admitted that they had inflated the maintenance fees for the services provided to Asia Financial Holdings upon the request of the above staff member and the inflated portions were then passed to the latter as rebates.
The duo further admitted that they had offered rebates totalling at least $12,000 to the staff member in relation to the above 39 vehicle maintenance orders.
Asia Financial Holdings did not allow its staff members to solicit or accept any advantages from the two defendants for awarding the vehicle maintenance orders to United Motors. Had Asia Financial Holdings known the maintenance fees were false, it would not have settled them.
Asia Financial Holdings had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Andrew Ho.
Yip Pui-yam, 63, and Yip Yun-tim, 71, respectively proprietor and former proprietor of United Motors Company (United Motors), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
Principal Magistrate Ms Ada Yim Shun-yee adjourned the case to June 9 for mention. The defendants were granted cash bail.
The court heard that at the material time, Yip Pui-yam was the sole proprietor of United Motors. Its former proprietor, Yip Yun-tim, also assisted in operating the garage.
Between January 2018 and October 2020, Asia Financial Holdings Limited (Asia Financial Holdings) awarded 39 vehicle maintenance orders involving maintenance fees totalling about $360,000 to United Motors upon the recommendation of a staff member.
The defendants admitted that they had inflated the maintenance fees for the services provided to Asia Financial Holdings upon the request of the above staff member and the inflated portions were then passed to the latter as rebates.
The duo further admitted that they had offered rebates totalling at least $12,000 to the staff member in relation to the above 39 vehicle maintenance orders.
Asia Financial Holdings did not allow its staff members to solicit or accept any advantages from the two defendants for awarding the vehicle maintenance orders to United Motors. Had Asia Financial Holdings known the maintenance fees were false, it would not have settled them.
Asia Financial Holdings had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Andrew Ho.