Six months’ jail for accepting $200,000 bribes over renovation project at residential estate
2018-5-11
A former maintenance manager of a property management company, charged by the ICAC, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (May 11) for accepting bribes of $200,000 in total for divulging confidential tender information on a renovation project of a private residential estate in Shatin to the operator of an engineering company.
Alex Tsang Hin-kit, 46, former maintenance manager of Synergis Management Services Limited (SMS), earlier pleaded guilty to seven counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Chu Chung-keung also ordered the defendant to repay $200,000 as restitution to SMS.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was responsible for dealing with renovation and maintenance works of various residential estates managed by SMS.
The defendant joined SMS as technical officer in March 2007 and was promoted to the post of maintenance manager in January 2016. Between March 2011 and late 2012, he was posted to Garden Vista, a private residential estate in Shatin, managed by SMS.
In December 2010, the Incorporated Owners (IO) of Garden Vista resolved to conduct a renovation project. SMS was required to assist the IO of Garden Vista in conducting an open tendering exercise for the renovation project.
An architectural firm was appointed as the consultant of the renovation project in March 2012. Afterwards, the firm arranged a tendering exercise for selecting a contractor for the project and the defendant was responsible for coordinating it. A total of 19 contractors submitted tenders for the project.
In early 2013, the defendant came to know the operator of an engineering company. On that occasion, the operator told the defendant that he wanted to obtain the list of tender prices (the price list) submitted by contractors for the renovation project. The defendant agreed to help him.
The court heard that in late June 2013, the defendant sent the price list to the operator of the engineering company by email.
In July 2013, it was resolved by majority of flat owners to award the contract of the renovation project to one of the 19 contractors at over $262 million.
Two months later, the operator of the engineering company told the defendant that around 0.1 per cent of the contract sum of the renovation project, which was equivalent to about $260,000, would be offered to him by instalments as rewards for his assistance in providing him with the price list.
Bank records of the defendant showed that he accepted seven bribes ranging from $20,000 to $30,000, totalling $200,000, from the operator of the engineering company between April 16, 2014 and June 7, 2016, the court was told.
SMS and the IO of Garden Vista had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Rosa Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Queenie Woo.
Alex Tsang Hin-kit, 46, former maintenance manager of Synergis Management Services Limited (SMS), earlier pleaded guilty to seven counts of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Chu Chung-keung also ordered the defendant to repay $200,000 as restitution to SMS.
The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was responsible for dealing with renovation and maintenance works of various residential estates managed by SMS.
The defendant joined SMS as technical officer in March 2007 and was promoted to the post of maintenance manager in January 2016. Between March 2011 and late 2012, he was posted to Garden Vista, a private residential estate in Shatin, managed by SMS.
In December 2010, the Incorporated Owners (IO) of Garden Vista resolved to conduct a renovation project. SMS was required to assist the IO of Garden Vista in conducting an open tendering exercise for the renovation project.
An architectural firm was appointed as the consultant of the renovation project in March 2012. Afterwards, the firm arranged a tendering exercise for selecting a contractor for the project and the defendant was responsible for coordinating it. A total of 19 contractors submitted tenders for the project.
In early 2013, the defendant came to know the operator of an engineering company. On that occasion, the operator told the defendant that he wanted to obtain the list of tender prices (the price list) submitted by contractors for the renovation project. The defendant agreed to help him.
The court heard that in late June 2013, the defendant sent the price list to the operator of the engineering company by email.
In July 2013, it was resolved by majority of flat owners to award the contract of the renovation project to one of the 19 contractors at over $262 million.
Two months later, the operator of the engineering company told the defendant that around 0.1 per cent of the contract sum of the renovation project, which was equivalent to about $260,000, would be offered to him by instalments as rewards for his assistance in providing him with the price list.
Bank records of the defendant showed that he accepted seven bribes ranging from $20,000 to $30,000, totalling $200,000, from the operator of the engineering company between April 16, 2014 and June 7, 2016, the court was told.
SMS and the IO of Garden Vista had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Rosa Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Queenie Woo.