Woman admits bribing bank staff with watch for opening account
2019-12-2
A woman, charged by the ICAC, admitted at the Kowloon City Magistracy today (December 2) that she had offered a watch to an employee of a bank for assistance in opening an account for her husband’s company.
Ma Zhenlian, 61, authorised signer of Hongkong Huilin Int’l Finance Group Limited (HIFGL), and Han Xianli, 67, husband of Ma and sole director-cum-shareholder of HIFGL, faced a joint charge of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Ma today pleaded guilty to the charge while the prosecution offered no evidence to the joint charge laid against Han.
Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Ada Yim Shun-yee remanded Ma in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until December 16 for sentence, pending her background and medical reports.
The court heard that at the material time, Ma and Han were respectively authorised signer and sole director-cum-shareholder of HIFGL, which was incorporated in Hong Kong in October 2005 and acquired by Han in May 2019.
On August 23, 2019, the couple arrived at a Business Centre of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in Mongkok to open a bank account for HIFGL.
The couple was received by an assistant manager of HSBC. When the assistant manager went out of his room to arrange some refreshments, Ma placed a bag containing a gift set of watch underneath his desk.
After the couple left the bank, the assistant manager noticed the bag containing the watch and immediately reported the matter to his supervisor, the court heard.
Later on the same day, the assistant manager phoned Ma to ascertain if the watch belonged to the couple. Ma said it was a small gift to him to show their appreciation. Ma insisted that she would not take it back despite the assistant manager’s refusal to accept it.
Afterwards, Ma called the assistant manager up several times to ask if the bank account opening application was approved. In September 2019, the assistant manager informed the couple through email that the application was rejected.
The court heard that Ma offered the watch to the assistant manager with a view to influence him in assisting them to process the application.
HSBC had referred the case to the ICAC and rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Seth Yiu.
Ma Zhenlian, 61, authorised signer of Hongkong Huilin Int’l Finance Group Limited (HIFGL), and Han Xianli, 67, husband of Ma and sole director-cum-shareholder of HIFGL, faced a joint charge of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Ma today pleaded guilty to the charge while the prosecution offered no evidence to the joint charge laid against Han.
Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Ada Yim Shun-yee remanded Ma in the custody of the Correctional Services Department until December 16 for sentence, pending her background and medical reports.
The court heard that at the material time, Ma and Han were respectively authorised signer and sole director-cum-shareholder of HIFGL, which was incorporated in Hong Kong in October 2005 and acquired by Han in May 2019.
On August 23, 2019, the couple arrived at a Business Centre of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in Mongkok to open a bank account for HIFGL.
The couple was received by an assistant manager of HSBC. When the assistant manager went out of his room to arrange some refreshments, Ma placed a bag containing a gift set of watch underneath his desk.
After the couple left the bank, the assistant manager noticed the bag containing the watch and immediately reported the matter to his supervisor, the court heard.
Later on the same day, the assistant manager phoned Ma to ascertain if the watch belonged to the couple. Ma said it was a small gift to him to show their appreciation. Ma insisted that she would not take it back despite the assistant manager’s refusal to accept it.
Afterwards, Ma called the assistant manager up several times to ask if the bank account opening application was approved. In September 2019, the assistant manager informed the couple through email that the application was rejected.
The court heard that Ma offered the watch to the assistant manager with a view to influence him in assisting them to process the application.
HSBC had referred the case to the ICAC and rendered full assistance to the Commission during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Seth Yiu.