Integrity Focus

A director of printing companies was charged by the ICAC today (September 16) for allegedly conspiring with a managing director of a fashion accessories company to inflate the amounts of 32 purchase orders and offering the price differences as bribes to the latter in return for business worth over $1.08 million.

Nip Kam-ming, 70, director and shareholder of Wang Hing Printing Company Limited (Wing Hing Printing) and Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing Company Limited (Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing), faces four counts of offering an advantage to an agent, and one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and Common Law respectively.

The defendant was released on ICAC bail, pending his appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 17) for mention. The prosecution will apply for case adjournment, pending preparing papers to transfer the case to the District Court.

At the material time, Wing Hing Printing and Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing engaged in selling paper products. Tiger Button (Hong Kong) Limited (Tiger Button) was a fashion accessories company and a client of Wing Hing Printing and Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing. The managing director of Tiger Button was responsible for the company’s daily operation, including selection of suppliers and approving purchase orders.

One of the charges alleges that between September 2021 and February 2023, the defendant conspired with the managing director of Tiger Button to defraud the latter’s company by falsely representing that the total price of 32 carton boxes purchase orders with Wing Hing Printing or Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing were worth over $1.08 million, and inducing Tiger Button to settle the relevant payments.

Four other charges allege that between January 2022 and March 2023, the defendant offered the managing director of Tiger Button bribes totalling over $620,000 on four occasions, including amounts resulted in the aforementioned inflated purchase orders, as an inducement to or reward for Tiger Button placing orders with Wing Hing Printing and Sun Wang Hing Offset Printing.

The ICAC investigation, arose from corruption complaint, revealed that in September 2021, the defendant had conspired with the managing director of Tiger Button to inflate the price of each purchase order of carton boxes and agreed to return the differences to the managing director as rebates.

Had Tiger Button known that the prices of the purchase orders were inflated, it would not have approved the payments. Tiger Button prohibited its staff members from accepting advantages from others in relation to the company’s business or affairs.

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