Eight months’ jail for accepting $75,000 bribes over exchange of mahjong tiles
2016-10-27
A former deputy manager of a mahjong school, charged by the ICAC, was today (October 27) sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment at the Kowloon City Magistracy for accepting a total of $75,000 as bribes for exchanging and/or assisting in the exchange of mahjong tiles.
Chan Chun-on, formerly known as Chan Wai-leung, 65, former deputy manager of mahjong school百樂麻雀娛樂公司 (Pak Lok), earlier pleaded guilty to one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen said the defendant’s act had damaged the reputation of the sector. Bribery was a serious offence, thus warranting a custodial sentence.
The magistrate also ordered the defendant to pay $75,000 as restitution to Pak Lok.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was the deputy manager of Pak Lok. He was responsible for running its daily operation and maintaining its order. He also kept the key to Pak Lok.
On an unknown day in July 2015, the then supervisor of the defendant offered him $1,500 per day as a reward for helping members of a swindling syndicate enter Pak Lok and exchange the normal mahjong tiles for tiles marked with latent codes.
The supervisor would offer the defendant $1,500 in cash on the day when the swindlers played mahjong in Pak Lok. The defendant accepted the offer, the court heard.
Between July and October 2015, the defendant communicated with the syndicate members by telephone and allowed them to enter Pak Lok and exchange coded mahjong after Pak Lok was closed at midnight. The defendant also did not take any action to interfere in the syndicate members playing mahjong in Pak Lok.
In return, Chan had accepted a total of $75,000 from the supervisor, the court was told.
Pak Lok had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Public Prosecutor Joey Ma, assisted by ICAC officer Peter Shek.
Chan Chun-on, formerly known as Chan Wai-leung, 65, former deputy manager of mahjong school百樂麻雀娛樂公司 (Pak Lok), earlier pleaded guilty to one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen said the defendant’s act had damaged the reputation of the sector. Bribery was a serious offence, thus warranting a custodial sentence.
The magistrate also ordered the defendant to pay $75,000 as restitution to Pak Lok.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was the deputy manager of Pak Lok. He was responsible for running its daily operation and maintaining its order. He also kept the key to Pak Lok.
On an unknown day in July 2015, the then supervisor of the defendant offered him $1,500 per day as a reward for helping members of a swindling syndicate enter Pak Lok and exchange the normal mahjong tiles for tiles marked with latent codes.
The supervisor would offer the defendant $1,500 in cash on the day when the swindlers played mahjong in Pak Lok. The defendant accepted the offer, the court heard.
Between July and October 2015, the defendant communicated with the syndicate members by telephone and allowed them to enter Pak Lok and exchange coded mahjong after Pak Lok was closed at midnight. The defendant also did not take any action to interfere in the syndicate members playing mahjong in Pak Lok.
In return, Chan had accepted a total of $75,000 from the supervisor, the court was told.
Pak Lok had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Acting Senior Public Prosecutor Joey Ma, assisted by ICAC officer Peter Shek.