Trio charged with $1.5m bribery over sale of pharmaceutical drugs
2017-11-28
A former senior medical representative of a pharmaceutical manufacturer and two operators of two pharmacies have been charged by the ICAC today (November 28) in two cases for their alleged roles in conspiring to offer and accept bribes of over $1.5 million in total in relation to the sale of pharmaceutical drugs.
In the first case, Gavin Wong Chun-yin (previously known as Gavin Wong Hung-man), 42, former senior medical representative of Novartis Pharmaceuticals (HK) Limited (NPHK), and Wong Chung-sum, 53, operator of Hygiene Medicine Limited (HML), face a joint charge of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
At the material time, Gavin Wong Chun-yin was a senior medical representative of NPHK, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, who was tasked to promote its prescription drugs to clinics and hospitals, but did not have to promote drugs to pharmacies. Wong Chung-sum was an operator of HML, a pharmacy, which was a client of NPHK.
The joint charge alleges that between January 27, 2014 and April 15, 2015, Gavin Wong Chun-yin and Wong Chung-sum conspired together for Gavin Wong Chun-yin to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept from Wong Chung-sum a total sum of $946,750 as rewards for supplying drugs manufactured by NPHK to HML.
In the second case, Tsoi Lai-ngan, 58, operator of Man Hong Dispensary (MHD), faces a charge of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
At the material time, the defendant was the operator of MHD, a pharmacy, which was a client of NPHK.
The charge alleges that between January 1, 2005 and March 31, 2015, the defendant conspired together with Gavin Wong Chun-yin to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offer a total sum of about $563,000 to Gavin Wong Chun-yin as rewards for supplying drugs manufactured by NPHK to MHD.
The defendants in the above two cases will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Thursday (November 30), pending the transfer of their cases to the District Court for plea.
NPHK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
In the first case, Gavin Wong Chun-yin (previously known as Gavin Wong Hung-man), 42, former senior medical representative of Novartis Pharmaceuticals (HK) Limited (NPHK), and Wong Chung-sum, 53, operator of Hygiene Medicine Limited (HML), face a joint charge of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO) and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
At the material time, Gavin Wong Chun-yin was a senior medical representative of NPHK, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, who was tasked to promote its prescription drugs to clinics and hospitals, but did not have to promote drugs to pharmacies. Wong Chung-sum was an operator of HML, a pharmacy, which was a client of NPHK.
The joint charge alleges that between January 27, 2014 and April 15, 2015, Gavin Wong Chun-yin and Wong Chung-sum conspired together for Gavin Wong Chun-yin to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept from Wong Chung-sum a total sum of $946,750 as rewards for supplying drugs manufactured by NPHK to HML.
In the second case, Tsoi Lai-ngan, 58, operator of Man Hong Dispensary (MHD), faces a charge of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
At the material time, the defendant was the operator of MHD, a pharmacy, which was a client of NPHK.
The charge alleges that between January 1, 2005 and March 31, 2015, the defendant conspired together with Gavin Wong Chun-yin to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offer a total sum of about $563,000 to Gavin Wong Chun-yin as rewards for supplying drugs manufactured by NPHK to MHD.
The defendants in the above two cases will appear at the Eastern Magistracy on Thursday (November 30), pending the transfer of their cases to the District Court for plea.
NPHK has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.