Integrity Focus

In recent years, the ICAC has taken a series of enforcement actions against solicitation and acceptance of illegal rebates from construction workers and launched a series of relevant publicity and education programmes. Two more former site team leaders of a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project of the Hong Kong International Airport (Third Runway Project) were today (February 2) each sentenced to five months’ imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts for accepting bribes from four bar-benders over their employment.

Xu Ergao, 48; and Guo Tianbao, 43, both former site team leaders for bar-bending works of MLife Engineering Limited (MEL), earlier pleaded guilty to a total of four counts of conspiracy for agents to accept advantages, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

In sentencing, Magistrate Mr Jason Wan Siu-ming remarked that the defendants had exploited fellow construction workers in an extended period of time, warranting custodial sentences. The magistrate also ordered the duo to repay a total of over $90,000, equivalent to the amount of bribes involved in the present case, to MEL as restitutions.

The ICAC had so far charged 26 people in relation to bribery over the employment of workers of the Third Runway Project and most of the defendants were site team leaders of a sub-contractor of the project. Twenty-one defendants, including the duo in the present case, had pleaded guilty or were found guilty after trial, receiving sentences up to 16 months in jail. Three others are awaiting plea or trial.

An ICAC spokesperson urges construction workers not to tolerate corruption. Should they be asked to pay bribes in exchange for their employment, they should report to the ICAC immediately. ICAC’s report corruption hotline: 25 266 366.

The court heard that MEL was a sub-contractor of the Third Runway Project responsible for recruiting construction workers to conduct various works. Xu and Guo were site team leaders leading the same team of bar-benders working at the project’s construction site.

Between August 2020 and April 2021, Xu and Guo conspired together to accept bribes totalling over $90,000 from four bar-benders for continuing their employment with MEL. The bar-benders believed that if they did not pay bribes ranging from 3,900 to about $33,000, their employment would be terminated.

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.