Ex-employee of property developer gets 16 months for bribery
2016-9-1
A former employee of a property development company, charged by the ICAC, was today (Thursday) sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment at the Kowloon City Magistracy after being convicted of having accepted and solicited bribes totalling $50,000 from a tenant in relation to the leasing and subletting of a residential premises.
Rodney Leung Kwai-ki, 57, former property officer of Lai Sun Development Company Limited (LSD), was today found guilty of two charges – one of agent accepting an advantage and one of agent soliciting an advantage, both contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate So Wai-tak said the defendant deserved a deterrent jail sentence in view of the seriousness of the bribery offences he committed.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a property officer of LSD, who was responsible for dealing with leasing matters of shops and residential premises owned by associate companies of LSD, a property development and management company.
In March 2014, the defendant took a potential tenant and her associate to a residential premises in Sham Shui Po. After the defendant and the potential tenant agreed to rent the premises at $4,000 per month, the potential tenant paid the defendant $12,000 in cash as deposit and the rental for the first month.
However, the defendant later informed the potential tenant that the monthly rental was $5,000, to which the potential tenant agreed.
A few days later, the defendant solicited $10,000 “tea money” from the potential tenant. After agreeing to the solicitation, the potential tenant paid the defendant $10,000 as “tea money”.
The court heard that in July 2014, the defendant found out that the tenant had partitioned the premises, and suspected her of subletting it. The defendant then solicited $40,000 from the tenant, saying that she could earn a few tens of thousands of dollars each year by subletting the premises.
Although the tenant denied having sublet the premises to others and rejected the demand, the defendant repeatedly asked her for the money. However, the tenant did not pay the money to the defendant, the court was told.
LSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Stephen Fong, assisted by ICAC officer Jennie Sum.
Rodney Leung Kwai-ki, 57, former property officer of Lai Sun Development Company Limited (LSD), was today found guilty of two charges – one of agent accepting an advantage and one of agent soliciting an advantage, both contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate So Wai-tak said the defendant deserved a deterrent jail sentence in view of the seriousness of the bribery offences he committed.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a property officer of LSD, who was responsible for dealing with leasing matters of shops and residential premises owned by associate companies of LSD, a property development and management company.
In March 2014, the defendant took a potential tenant and her associate to a residential premises in Sham Shui Po. After the defendant and the potential tenant agreed to rent the premises at $4,000 per month, the potential tenant paid the defendant $12,000 in cash as deposit and the rental for the first month.
However, the defendant later informed the potential tenant that the monthly rental was $5,000, to which the potential tenant agreed.
A few days later, the defendant solicited $10,000 “tea money” from the potential tenant. After agreeing to the solicitation, the potential tenant paid the defendant $10,000 as “tea money”.
The court heard that in July 2014, the defendant found out that the tenant had partitioned the premises, and suspected her of subletting it. The defendant then solicited $40,000 from the tenant, saying that she could earn a few tens of thousands of dollars each year by subletting the premises.
Although the tenant denied having sublet the premises to others and rejected the demand, the defendant repeatedly asked her for the money. However, the tenant did not pay the money to the defendant, the court was told.
LSD had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by prosecuting counsel Stephen Fong, assisted by ICAC officer Jennie Sum.