Integrity Focus

The ICAC today (October 2) charged a former director of an electronics assembly equipment manufacturer and a merchant for allegedly striking a deal with a shareholder of a technology firm to accept bribes totalling over $6 million from the latter for assisting the technology firm to be engaged as an electronics assembly equipment distributor.

Lau Wai-leung, 49, former sales director of ASMPT Hong Kong Limited (formerly named as ASM Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited) (ASMPT); and Terry Wong Yuk-yan, 46, merchant, jointly face one count of conspiracy for an agent to accept advantages, contrary to section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance.

The defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 3) for mention. The prosecution will submit an application for transferring the case to the District Court for plea.

ASMPT was a company under a group which was a manufacturer of electronics assembly equipment (collectively referred to as ASMPT). ASMPT engaged in sales of the group’s electronics assembly equipment products to customers in the Mainland and the Greater China Region. In addition to direct sales of the group’s products to customers, since 2019, ASMPT also engaged distributors to sell its products.

The alleged offence took place between January 2019 and January 2023. At the material time, Lau was a sales director of ASMPT responsible for sales of ASMPT’s products and handling matters in relation to distributors. He left the company in January 2023. Meanwhile, Wong, a merchant, allegedly played the role of a middleman in the case.

The charge alleges that the defendants conspired together for Lau to accept bribes totalling over $6 million from a shareholder of a technology firm for assisting the firm to be selected as a distributor of ASMPT.

The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint concerning ASMPT’s distributors. Enquiries revealed that Lau had allegedly reached the bribery agreement with the technology firm shareholder through Wong. According to the bribery agreement, the shareholder of the technology firm had allegedly offered Lau bribe money equivalent to 20 per cent of the firm’s sales profit as a reward. Inquiries revealed that since the technology firm was engaged as ASMPT’s distributor, the firm had sold over 1,000 sets of ASMPT’s electronics assembly equipment, involving bribes amounting to a total of over $6 million.

ASMPT has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case. ASMPT prohibited its staff members from soliciting or accepting advantages from others in relation to ASMPT’s business and affairs.