Integrity Focus

One of two then employees of a bakery, charged by the ICAC, was today (March 1) sentenced to three and a half months’ imprisonment at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts after the duo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal a total of over $110,000 from a branch. The offence was revealed in the course of a graft probe.

Fung Tat-yan, 21, and Cheung Cho-man, 22, respectively former part-time salesperson and salesperson of A-1 Bakery Company (Hong Kong) Limited (A-1 Bakery), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal, contrary to Section 9 of the Theft Ordinance and Section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.

Fung was sentenced to immediate imprisonment of three and a half months while Cheung was remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department until March 15 for sentence, pending her community service order report.

In sentencing, Acting Principal Magistrate Ms Amy Chan Wai-mun reprimanded the defendants for breaching the trust placed in them and committing a crime, which was serious in nature and premeditated.

At the material time, both defendants worked at a branch of A-1 Bakery in Shatin, responsible for its daily operation. Its customers could pay electronically or pay in cash.

The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that on various occasions, the duo voided the transactions of customers in the point-of-sales system to steal the relevant cash and pocketed the cash paid by customers without inputting any transaction records. They also launched a “buy-one-get-one-free for cash payment only” promotional offer by themselves to pocket more cash.

It was also revealed that between April and May 2023, the duo pocketed several thousand dollars each day, totalling over $110,000. They fully repaid A-1 Bakery after being terminated.

A-1 Bakery had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer James Law.