Integrity Focus
Recent ICAC Cases
Feb 2025Two then employees of DSD’s contractor charged by ICAC with fraud over $6.3m sewage treatment facilitates maintenance orders
Two then project managers of a contractor of the Drainage Services Department (DSD) were charged by the ICAC yesterday (February 4) for allegedly making various false representations that they had obtained the required number of quotations to deceive the contractor into awarding over 30 maintenance orders for sewage treatment facilities in the total sum of over $6.3 million to three subcontractors.
Yip Hing-fai, 45; and Wong Chun-tung, 43, both then project managers of ATAL Engineering Limited (ATAL), were charged with two counts and one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance, respectively. They were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (February 6) for mention. The prosecution will later make an application for transferring the case to the District Court for plea.
At the material time, ATAL was a contractor of the DSD responsible for the operation and maintenance of sewage treatment facilities at various districts in Hong Kong and two sewage treatment works. The two defendants oversaw the relevant maintenance works. When conducting a tendering exercise, they were required to obtain at least two quotations from subcontractors, record on a quotation analysis report the relevant prices quoted, and submit the report with assessment and recommendation to the company for endorsement.
It is alleged that between April 2017 and August 2021, Yip had falsely represented to ATAL that 18 quotation analysis reports were genuine, and with intent to defraud, induced ATAL to award the relevant maintenance orders in the sum of over $4.7 million to two subcontractors.
Between February 2019 and November 2020, Wong had allegedly induced ATAL to award 13 maintenance orders in the total sum of over $1.6 million to another subcontractor by similar fraudulent means.
The ICAC investigation stemmed from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that a number of subcontractors listed on the quotation analysis reports had not provided the quotations concerned.
The DSD and ATAL had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.