Man brought to court for bribing bank staff for opening account
2019-4-15
A man was brought to the Eastern Magistracy today (April 15) after being charged by the ICAC with offering a bribe to an employee of a bank for assisting him in opening an account for his company.
Li Xiangmin, 50, a Mainland resident and sole director-cum-shareholder of Hongkong Yan Civil Trade Limited By Share Limited, faced a charge of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint earlier referred by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC). Li was arrested on Saturday (April 13) for allegedly committing the bribery offence.
Having sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, the ICAC officers laid the charge against Li and brought him to the Eastern Magistracy today for mention.
No plea was taken. Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned the case to May 14 for plea. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The charge alleged that on July 27, 2018, Li, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered an unspecified amount of money to an employee of HSBC as a reward for assisting him in opening a corporate account with the bank.
The employee of HSBC rejected Li’s offer and reported the matter to her supervisor.
HSBC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Seth Yiu.
Li Xiangmin, 50, a Mainland resident and sole director-cum-shareholder of Hongkong Yan Civil Trade Limited By Share Limited, faced a charge of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint earlier referred by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC). Li was arrested on Saturday (April 13) for allegedly committing the bribery offence.
Having sought legal advice from the Department of Justice, the ICAC officers laid the charge against Li and brought him to the Eastern Magistracy today for mention.
No plea was taken. Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned the case to May 14 for plea. The defendant was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services Department.
The charge alleged that on July 27, 2018, Li, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, offered an unspecified amount of money to an employee of HSBC as a reward for assisting him in opening a corporate account with the bank.
The employee of HSBC rejected Li’s offer and reported the matter to her supervisor.
HSBC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Seth Yiu.