Five charged with $120,000 bribery over food orders
2018-2-26
Three chefs of three Chinese restaurants and two food suppliers have been charged by the ICAC today (February 26) with respectively conspiracy to accept and offering illegal rebates totalling over $120,000 in relation to placing orders of food items.
The defendants are Ho Yuk-hang, 39, dim sum supervisor of Sun Ming Yuen Banquet Hall (Sun Ming Yuen); Li Chun-ning, 39, proprietor of Wah Kee Food Company (Wah Kee); Lau Tsz-wai, 39, delivery worker of Yau Wai Grocery (Yau Wai); Yuen Chi-hang, 48, supervisor of dim sum section of Golden Diamond Chinese Cuisine (Golden Diamond); and Wan Fook-ming, 47, dim sum chef of East Harbour Seafood & Hot Pot Restaurant (East Harbour).
The defendants face a total of 24 charges – six 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; and 18 of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO.
They will appear in the Tuen Mun Magistracy on Wednesday (February 28) for plea.
At the material time, Sun Ming Yuen, a Chinese restaurant in Yuen Long, had a number of authorised dim sum ingredient suppliers, including Wah Kee and Yau Wai. Wah Kee also supplied dim sum ingredients to other Chinese restaurants, including Golden Diamond and East Harbour.
One of the charges alleges that between April 1 and November 30, 2016, Ho and Li conspired together and with Li’s mother for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept $7,200 from Li as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
Two other charges allege that between April 1 and December 1, 2016, Ho conspired with two other dim sum ingredient suppliers for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about $32,000 and a sum of $12,000 to $16,000 respectively as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with those suppliers.
Another charge alleges that between April 1 and December 4, 2016, Ho and Lau conspired together and with the proprietor of Yau Wai for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about $9,000 from Lau as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with Yau Wai.
The fifth charge alleges that between January 1 and November 30, 2016, Yuen conspired with a female representative of Wah Kee for Yuen to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept $28,950 from the female representative of Wah Kee as rewards for Yuen placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
The sixth charge alleges that between December 1, 2015 and November 30, 2016, Wan conspired with another female representative of Wah Kee for Wan to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, to accept $8,730 from the female representative of Wah Kee as rewards for Wan placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
The remaining 18 charges allege that between August 31, 2013 and November 30, 2016, Li, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered $35,270 in total to employees of six Chinese restaurants, including Golden Diamond and East Harbour, as rewards for the latter placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the illegal rebates allegedly accepted and offered by the defendants amounted to over $120,000 in total.
Sun Ming Yuen, Golden Diamond and East Harbour have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Wednesday.
The defendants are Ho Yuk-hang, 39, dim sum supervisor of Sun Ming Yuen Banquet Hall (Sun Ming Yuen); Li Chun-ning, 39, proprietor of Wah Kee Food Company (Wah Kee); Lau Tsz-wai, 39, delivery worker of Yau Wai Grocery (Yau Wai); Yuen Chi-hang, 48, supervisor of dim sum section of Golden Diamond Chinese Cuisine (Golden Diamond); and Wan Fook-ming, 47, dim sum chef of East Harbour Seafood & Hot Pot Restaurant (East Harbour).
The defendants face a total of 24 charges – six 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; and 18 of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the POBO.
They will appear in the Tuen Mun Magistracy on Wednesday (February 28) for plea.
At the material time, Sun Ming Yuen, a Chinese restaurant in Yuen Long, had a number of authorised dim sum ingredient suppliers, including Wah Kee and Yau Wai. Wah Kee also supplied dim sum ingredients to other Chinese restaurants, including Golden Diamond and East Harbour.
One of the charges alleges that between April 1 and November 30, 2016, Ho and Li conspired together and with Li’s mother for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept $7,200 from Li as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
Two other charges allege that between April 1 and December 1, 2016, Ho conspired with two other dim sum ingredient suppliers for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about $32,000 and a sum of $12,000 to $16,000 respectively as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with those suppliers.
Another charge alleges that between April 1 and December 4, 2016, Ho and Lau conspired together and with the proprietor of Yau Wai for Ho to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept about $9,000 from Lau as rewards for Ho placing orders of food items with Yau Wai.
The fifth charge alleges that between January 1 and November 30, 2016, Yuen conspired with a female representative of Wah Kee for Yuen to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accept $28,950 from the female representative of Wah Kee as rewards for Yuen placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
The sixth charge alleges that between December 1, 2015 and November 30, 2016, Wan conspired with another female representative of Wah Kee for Wan to, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, to accept $8,730 from the female representative of Wah Kee as rewards for Wan placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
The remaining 18 charges allege that between August 31, 2013 and November 30, 2016, Li, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered $35,270 in total to employees of six Chinese restaurants, including Golden Diamond and East Harbour, as rewards for the latter placing orders of food items with Wah Kee.
ICAC enquiries revealed that the illegal rebates allegedly accepted and offered by the defendants amounted to over $120,000 in total.
Sun Ming Yuen, Golden Diamond and East Harbour have rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Wednesday.