Integrity Focus
Recent ICAC Cases
Jun 2023Ex-site team leader charged by ICAC admits accepting $90,000 bribes from Third Runway Project’s workers
A former site team leader of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project), charged by the ICAC, today (June 19) admitted at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts that he had conspired with another former site team leader to accept bribes of over $90,000 from four bar-benders for continuing their employment with the sub-contractor.
Guo Tianbao, 42, former site team leader for bar-bending works of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy for agents to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
Principal Magistrate Mr Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned the case to July 17 for mention. Guo was granted bail.
The court heard that MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. Guo was a site team leader. He and another site team leader led a team of bar-benders working at the project’s construction site.
Between August 2020 and April 2021, Guo conspired with the site team leader to accept bribes totalling over $90,000 from four bar-benders to continue their employment with MEL. The bar-benders believed that their employment would be terminated if they did not pay bribes ranging from over $12,000 to about $33,000.
Another site team leader, Xu Ergao, 47, was charged with five counts of bribery. No plea was entered today and her case was also adjourned to July 17 for mention.
An ICAC spokesperson urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to offer advantages in exchange for their employment, they should report to the ICAC immediately. Report corruption hotline: 25 266 366.
In recent years, the ICAC had taken a series of enforcement actions against corrupt practice of soliciting and accepting illegal rebates. A total of 23 former employees of the main contractor and a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project were charged by the ICAC with bribery. Eighteen of them, including Guo, had pleaded guilty or were found guilty after trial, receiving sentences up 10 months in jail. Xu and two others are awaiting plea or trial.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong, the relevant main contractor SAPR JV and MEL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Ruby Cheung.