Ex-teacher admits accepting illegal rebate over purchase of harp
2016-3-29
A former teacher of a music company, charged by the ICAC, today (Tuesday) admitted at the Tsuen Wan Magistracy that he had accepted an illegal rebate of over $7,600 for referring a student to buy a harp from a supplier of musical instruments.
Lai Kam-kit, 37, a former teacher of Tom Lee Music Foundation Limited (TLMF), pleaded guilty to one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Kenneth Chan Ping-chau adjourned the case until April 28 this year for sentence, pending a community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail of $5,000.
The court heard that at the material time, Lai was employed by TLMF as a teacher in harp and violin courses.
Apart from teaching music courses, teachers of TLMF were required to work as consultants to promote, market and sell to their students musical instruments and related products of Tom Lee Music Co. Ltd, an affiliated company of TLMF.
Teachers were not allowed to promote or sell musical instruments to students of TLMF and their parents for other suppliers. Chairman Instruments Trading Limited (CITL) was a supplier of musical instruments in Hong Kong.
The court heard that a student of the defendant attended her first lesson on January 27, 2013. She asked the defendant for his advice on where she could purchase a harp.
The defendant told the student that he knew a supplier selling harps, and provided her with the telephone number of a shareholder cum sales director of CITL.
Acting on the advice of the defendant, the student visited the office of CITL and bought a harp at $27,063 on February 2, 2013. However, the defendant had never told the student that he would receive a rebate out of her purchase.
On April 19, 2013, the defendant received $7,663 from CITL by cheque deposited in his bank account as a reward for referring the student to CITL to purchase the harp, the court was told.
Co-defendant Tse On-kei, 30, a teacher of TLMF, was also charged by the ICAC with one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO. She had her case adjourned to June 20 this year for trial.
TLMF had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Flora Cheng, assisted by ICAC officer Alex Ho.
Lai Kam-kit, 37, a former teacher of Tom Lee Music Foundation Limited (TLMF), pleaded guilty to one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).
Magistrate Mr Kenneth Chan Ping-chau adjourned the case until April 28 this year for sentence, pending a community service order report. The defendant was granted cash bail of $5,000.
The court heard that at the material time, Lai was employed by TLMF as a teacher in harp and violin courses.
Apart from teaching music courses, teachers of TLMF were required to work as consultants to promote, market and sell to their students musical instruments and related products of Tom Lee Music Co. Ltd, an affiliated company of TLMF.
Teachers were not allowed to promote or sell musical instruments to students of TLMF and their parents for other suppliers. Chairman Instruments Trading Limited (CITL) was a supplier of musical instruments in Hong Kong.
The court heard that a student of the defendant attended her first lesson on January 27, 2013. She asked the defendant for his advice on where she could purchase a harp.
The defendant told the student that he knew a supplier selling harps, and provided her with the telephone number of a shareholder cum sales director of CITL.
Acting on the advice of the defendant, the student visited the office of CITL and bought a harp at $27,063 on February 2, 2013. However, the defendant had never told the student that he would receive a rebate out of her purchase.
On April 19, 2013, the defendant received $7,663 from CITL by cheque deposited in his bank account as a reward for referring the student to CITL to purchase the harp, the court was told.
Co-defendant Tse On-kei, 30, a teacher of TLMF, was also charged by the ICAC with one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the POBO. She had her case adjourned to June 20 this year for trial.
TLMF had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Flora Cheng, assisted by ICAC officer Alex Ho.