Duo charged with $165,000 illegal wage rebates-for-employment
2017-4-25
A site supervisor and a worker formerly employed by a metal works company have been charged by the ICAC today (April 25) with conspiracy to accept illegal wage rebates of over $165,000 in total from six other workers in relation to their employment at various construction sites.
Ng Wai-hang, 45, former site supervisor of Empire (HK) Engineering Co. Limited (Empire HK), and Tam Tat-ming, 29, former general worker of Empire HK, face six joint charges of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
They also face four alternative charges of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Thursday (April 27) for plea.
At the material time, Ng was employed by Empire HK as a site supervisor to recruit general workers for Empire HK and two other companies (the three companies) at 10 construction sites. The three companies, which were set up by the same proprietor, were contractors specialised in metal works.
In December 2014, Ng introduced Tam to work for two of the three companies, including Empire HK, as a general worker.
The six joint charges allege that between an unknown day in February and December 22, 2015, Ng and Tam, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, conspired together to accept wage rebates ranging from $10,200 to $59,380, totalling $165,355, from six persons as rewards for maintaining their employment with the three companies as general workers.
The four alternative charges allege that between an unknown day in March and December 22, 2015, Ng and Tam falsely represented to four of the general workers that their daily wages were $600, $650 or $750 and would be increased to $700, $750 or $800 thereafter, and they had to refund part of their wages to a person, and with intent to defraud, induced them to pay $95,775 in total to Ng and Tam, which resulted in benefit to them or in prejudice to those workers.
Empire HK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
Ng Wai-hang, 45, former site supervisor of Empire (HK) Engineering Co. Limited (Empire HK), and Tam Tat-ming, 29, former general worker of Empire HK, face six joint charges of conspiracy for an agent to accept an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
They also face four alternative charges of fraud, contrary to Section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.
The defendants will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Thursday (April 27) for plea.
At the material time, Ng was employed by Empire HK as a site supervisor to recruit general workers for Empire HK and two other companies (the three companies) at 10 construction sites. The three companies, which were set up by the same proprietor, were contractors specialised in metal works.
In December 2014, Ng introduced Tam to work for two of the three companies, including Empire HK, as a general worker.
The six joint charges allege that between an unknown day in February and December 22, 2015, Ng and Tam, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, conspired together to accept wage rebates ranging from $10,200 to $59,380, totalling $165,355, from six persons as rewards for maintaining their employment with the three companies as general workers.
The four alternative charges allege that between an unknown day in March and December 22, 2015, Ng and Tam falsely represented to four of the general workers that their daily wages were $600, $650 or $750 and would be increased to $700, $750 or $800 thereafter, and they had to refund part of their wages to a person, and with intent to defraud, induced them to pay $95,775 in total to Ng and Tam, which resulted in benefit to them or in prejudice to those workers.
Empire HK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.