Hong Kong subcontractor convicted of bribing electrical engineer
A 59-year-old subcontractor was found guilty of providing an advantage to a public servant in Hong Kong, after bribing a former senior engineer of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. The engineer was earlier jailed for graft. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 6 November.
A 59-year-old subcontractor of Hong Kong's Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) was convicted on 23 October of providing an advantage to a public servant, following a trial at the Eastern Magistrates' Court. Magistrate Chu Man-hon adjourned the case for sentencing on 6 November, pending a background report, and granted the defendant bail.
The case is linked to a former senior EMSD engineer, who earlier pleaded guilty at the High Court to charges of having unexplained wealth and was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. The subcontractor was accused of bribing the engineer in connection with two small-scale works contracts worth a combined total of about HK$91.4 million.
According to court testimony, the subcontractor first met the engineer through work and the two developed a close relationship, regularly having lunch together and travelling together to mainland China or overseas destinations on multiple occasions.
At the time, the engineer was posted to the Small Works Division of EMSD. Between 2016 and 2018, the division awarded two small-scale works contracts, each valued at about HK$91.4 million in total, to two main contractors. These contracts were subsequently subcontracted to three firms in which the convicted subcontractor was a director and shareholder.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had initially investigated the engineer for having wealth disproportionate to his official income, leading to his conviction and imprisonment. The subcontractor's trial followed as a result of the same probe.
