Duo sentenced for bribery over cross-border school bus services
2019-9-2
The proprietor of a cross-border school bus service company and a former driver of a coach company were today (September 2) sentenced at the Fanling Magistracy after admitting that they had conspired together for the latter to accept bribes totalling Renminbi 2,160 for driving 108 students to cross the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border on seven occasions.
Ching Kwan, 51, proprietor of Hung Ying Cross-boundary School Bus Service Company (Shenkong) (Hung Ying), was sentenced by Acting Principal Magistrate Don So Man-lung to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
Co-defendant Lam Ton-thai, 45, former coach driver of Tung Wing Tat (Holdings) Limited (Tung Wing Tat), was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
The defendants today pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, Tung Wing Tat was a coach company providing cross-border school bus services to its clients, including Hung Ying, for driving students who had signed up for commuting between the Mainland and schools in Hong Kong (the services).
Ching was the proprietor of Hung Ying while Lam was a coach driver of Tung Wing Tat responsible for deploying the company’s coaches to provide the services and driving a designated coach.
Ching had rented nine coaches from Tung Wing Tat for providing the services to students who had signed up with Hung Ying. A helper was hired to liaise with Lam regarding coach arrangements.
The court heard that students left schools early during examination period in about May 2018, and there were insufficient seats to accommodate all students as a coach arranged by Tung Wing Tat had broken down.
Upon the helper’s suggestion, Ching agreed to offer Renminbi 20 per student to Lam, who was driving a coach with vacant seats for another client of Tung Wing Tat, for taking Hung Ying’s students on board.
Between May 14 and June 21, 2018, Ching paid a total of Renminbi 2,160 to Lam for allowing 108 Hung Ying’s students to board a coach driven by Lam for another client of Tung Wing Tat on seven occasions.
The court heard that Lam had not reported to Tung Wing Tat the arrangement and his acceptance of Renminbi 2,160 from Ching.
Tung Wing Tat had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Simon Liu.
Ching Kwan, 51, proprietor of Hung Ying Cross-boundary School Bus Service Company (Shenkong) (Hung Ying), was sentenced by Acting Principal Magistrate Don So Man-lung to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
Co-defendant Lam Ton-thai, 45, former coach driver of Tung Wing Tat (Holdings) Limited (Tung Wing Tat), was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.
The defendants today pleaded guilty to a joint charge of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.
The court heard that at the material time, Tung Wing Tat was a coach company providing cross-border school bus services to its clients, including Hung Ying, for driving students who had signed up for commuting between the Mainland and schools in Hong Kong (the services).
Ching was the proprietor of Hung Ying while Lam was a coach driver of Tung Wing Tat responsible for deploying the company’s coaches to provide the services and driving a designated coach.
Ching had rented nine coaches from Tung Wing Tat for providing the services to students who had signed up with Hung Ying. A helper was hired to liaise with Lam regarding coach arrangements.
The court heard that students left schools early during examination period in about May 2018, and there were insufficient seats to accommodate all students as a coach arranged by Tung Wing Tat had broken down.
Upon the helper’s suggestion, Ching agreed to offer Renminbi 20 per student to Lam, who was driving a coach with vacant seats for another client of Tung Wing Tat, for taking Hung Ying’s students on board.
Between May 14 and June 21, 2018, Ching paid a total of Renminbi 2,160 to Lam for allowing 108 Hung Ying’s students to board a coach driven by Lam for another client of Tung Wing Tat on seven occasions.
The court heard that Lam had not reported to Tung Wing Tat the arrangement and his acceptance of Renminbi 2,160 from Ching.
Tung Wing Tat had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Simon Liu.