Ex-manager in court over offering illegal commissions to secure business
2016-11-3
A former marketing manager of a trading company appeared in the Eastern Magistracy today (November 3) after being charged by the ICAC with offering illegal commissions to five employees of three supermarkets and another trading company to secure business.
Lai Suet-man, 41, former marketing manager of Prime Developments Company Limited (Prime Developments), who was charged on Tuesday (November 1), faced five counts of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
No plea was taken. Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Joseph To Ho-shing adjourned the case to December 1 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a marketing manager of Prime Developments, a trading company sourcing food products from Japan. She was responsible for liaising with local food retailers, including Great Food Hall, Kai Yu Asia Pacific Limited (Kai Yu), Yata Limited (Yata) and Food Garden Limited (Food Garden).
Great Food Hall is a supermarket. Yata and Food Garden operate supermarkets in Hong Kong, while Kai Yu is a food trading company.
One of the charges alleged that between June 17 and August 20, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of 3-5% of the wholesale price of food products as agreed between Prime Developments and Great Food Hall to the executive chef of Great Food Hall as a reward for sourcing those food products from Prime Developments by Great Food Hall.
Another charge alleged that on June 17, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of 5% of the wholesale price of food products as agreed between Prime Developments and Great Food Hall to an assistant department manager of Great Food Hall for the same purpose.
A third charge alleged that between June 23 and July 29, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of $5 per kilogramme for wagyu to an operation manager of Kai Yu as a reward for sourcing wagyu from Prime Developments by Kai Yu.
The fourth charge alleged that between July 7 and August 6, 2015, the defendant offered a commission ranging from $0.5 to $2 for each kilogramme of onion and $2 for each bag of carrot to a senior section manager of Yata as a reward for sourcing Japan organic onion and/or carrot from Prime Developments by Yata.
The remaining charge alleged that on August 5, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of $2 per bag of Japan organic carrot to a sourcing manager of Food Garden as a reward for sourcing Japan organic carrot from Prime Developments by Food Garden.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $1,000, and ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Vincent Ching.
Lai Suet-man, 41, former marketing manager of Prime Developments Company Limited (Prime Developments), who was charged on Tuesday (November 1), faced five counts of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
No plea was taken. Acting Principal Magistrate Mr Joseph To Ho-shing adjourned the case to December 1 this year for mention.
At the material time, the defendant was a marketing manager of Prime Developments, a trading company sourcing food products from Japan. She was responsible for liaising with local food retailers, including Great Food Hall, Kai Yu Asia Pacific Limited (Kai Yu), Yata Limited (Yata) and Food Garden Limited (Food Garden).
Great Food Hall is a supermarket. Yata and Food Garden operate supermarkets in Hong Kong, while Kai Yu is a food trading company.
One of the charges alleged that between June 17 and August 20, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of 3-5% of the wholesale price of food products as agreed between Prime Developments and Great Food Hall to the executive chef of Great Food Hall as a reward for sourcing those food products from Prime Developments by Great Food Hall.
Another charge alleged that on June 17, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of 5% of the wholesale price of food products as agreed between Prime Developments and Great Food Hall to an assistant department manager of Great Food Hall for the same purpose.
A third charge alleged that between June 23 and July 29, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of $5 per kilogramme for wagyu to an operation manager of Kai Yu as a reward for sourcing wagyu from Prime Developments by Kai Yu.
The fourth charge alleged that between July 7 and August 6, 2015, the defendant offered a commission ranging from $0.5 to $2 for each kilogramme of onion and $2 for each bag of carrot to a senior section manager of Yata as a reward for sourcing Japan organic onion and/or carrot from Prime Developments by Yata.
The remaining charge alleged that on August 5, 2015, the defendant offered a commission at a rate of $2 per bag of Japan organic carrot to a sourcing manager of Food Garden as a reward for sourcing Japan organic carrot from Prime Developments by Food Garden.
The defendant was granted cash bail of $1,000, and ordered not to interfere with prosecution witnesses.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Vincent Ching.