Integrity Focus

Two women, charged by the ICAC, were today (June 11) sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts after admitting that they had bribed a bank employee with a wad of banknotes for opening a personal bank account.

Yu Hui, 26, executive; and Wang Jinyu, 37, live-streaming technician, today pleaded guilty to one count of offering advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. Principal Magistrate Mr Don So Man-lung handed down a four-week jail term on both defendants.

The court heard that Yu and Wang came to Hong Kong and visited a branch of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in Wan Chai in the morning of April 19, 2024 for opening personal bank accounts. Wang, assisted by an employee of the bank, completed the account opening procedure through a mobile application of the bank on the same day. Since Yu was unable to open a bank account through the mobile application, her account opening application was not immediately approved.

On the same day, the defendants met with the bank employee again in the afternoon, requesting to open a bank account for Yu through conventional in person application. When the duo submitted the relevant documents, they passed an envelope containing a wad of HK$100 and HK$500 banknotes to the bank employee.

The bank employee immediately rejected the bribes offered by the duo and reported the matter to his supervisors immediately. ICAC officers arrested the two defendants on the spot immediately after receiving a corruption complaint.

HSBC had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Benny Chang.

The ICAC reminds the public not to bribe bank staff in exchange for its services. Should anyone come across any suspicion of corruption, he or she should report to the ICAC immediately. ICAC 24-hour Report Corruption Hotline: 25 266 366.