Duo charged for $23m hotel redevelopment project plumbing installation fraud
2019-11-26
A director of a consultancy firm and a director of an engineering company have been charged by the ICAC today (November 26) with conspiracy to defraud a project developer over a $23 million plumbing installation contract of a hotel redevelopment project in Mongkok.
Wong Wing-chau, 64, director of Saneseed Limited (Saneseed); and Ma Sau-kam, 58, director of Panocean Engineering Limited (Panocean), face a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistracy on Thursday (November 28) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, Wong was the sole director and shareholder of Saneseed, an electrical and mechanical consultant. Ma was an employee of another company of Wong which shared Saneseed’s office. In addition, Ma and Wong’s son were directors and shareholders of Panocean, an engineering company.
Champion Success Limited (Champion) was the project developer of a hotel redevelopment project in Mongkok. In March 2011, Champion named Saneseed as an electrical and mechanical consultant of the project to provide consultancy service covering fire services installation, electrical installation, mechanical ventilation and air conditioning installation, as well as plumbing and drainage installation (the four areas).
The charge alleges that between January 25, 2014 and April 11, 2016 when Saneseed was a consultant of Champion, Wong and Ma conspired together to defraud Champion by dishonestly failing to declare or disclose to, or by concealing from it Wong’s interests in and his relationship with Panocean.
Wong and Ma have allegedly induced Champion to invite Panocean to submit tenders for the four areas of the project and to consider those tenders; and caused Champion to award a plumbing and drainage installation contract to Panocean.
ICAC enquiries revealed that tender prices quoted by Panocean on the four areas amounted to over $103 million in total while the plumbing and drainage installation contract awarded to Panocean worth over $23 million.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
Champion has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
Wong Wing-chau, 64, director of Saneseed Limited (Saneseed); and Ma Sau-kam, 58, director of Panocean Engineering Limited (Panocean), face a joint charge of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law.
The defendants will appear at the West Kowloon Magistracy on Thursday (November 28) for the case to be transferred to the District Court for plea.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above alleged offence.
At the material time, Wong was the sole director and shareholder of Saneseed, an electrical and mechanical consultant. Ma was an employee of another company of Wong which shared Saneseed’s office. In addition, Ma and Wong’s son were directors and shareholders of Panocean, an engineering company.
Champion Success Limited (Champion) was the project developer of a hotel redevelopment project in Mongkok. In March 2011, Champion named Saneseed as an electrical and mechanical consultant of the project to provide consultancy service covering fire services installation, electrical installation, mechanical ventilation and air conditioning installation, as well as plumbing and drainage installation (the four areas).
The charge alleges that between January 25, 2014 and April 11, 2016 when Saneseed was a consultant of Champion, Wong and Ma conspired together to defraud Champion by dishonestly failing to declare or disclose to, or by concealing from it Wong’s interests in and his relationship with Panocean.
Wong and Ma have allegedly induced Champion to invite Panocean to submit tenders for the four areas of the project and to consider those tenders; and caused Champion to award a plumbing and drainage installation contract to Panocean.
ICAC enquiries revealed that tender prices quoted by Panocean on the four areas amounted to over $103 million in total while the plumbing and drainage installation contract awarded to Panocean worth over $23 million.
The defendants have been released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearance on Thursday.
Champion has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.