Integrity Focus

A then construction consultant of a fast-food restaurant chain was charged by the ICAC last Friday (February 21) for allegedly accepting a watch worth over $80,000 from contractor couple for showing favour to their renovation company. The trio were respectively charged with offering and accepting a bribe.

Ling Mun-tong, 45, then construction consultant of MHK Restaurants Limited (MHK), faces one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to section 9(1)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (POBO).

Two co-defendants of the case, Chow Chi-kuen, 48, engineering manager of Wardson Deco-Construction Limited (Wardson), and his wife Chan Chin-yu, 30, Director-cum-shareholder of Wardson, jointly face one count of offering an advantage to an agent, contrary to section 9(2)(b) of the POBO.

The trio were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (February 25) for plea.

MHK operated over 200 fast food restaurants in Hong Kong under the brand name of McDonald’s. Its business development department was responsible for renovation projects of the restaurants. At the material time, Ling was a construction consultant of the department. He was responsible for conducting tender exercise, including inviting approved contractors to submit tenders, submitting tender analysis and making recommendations, as well as overseeing progress of the projects. Wardson was one of the approved contractors of MHK.

It is alleged that on December 2, 2023, Ling had accepted a watch at the value of over $80,000 from the Chows as a reward for showing favour to Wardson in relation to the affairs of MHK. Meanwhile, the Chows had allegedly offered the watch to Ling for him to show favour.

Between September 2021 and December 2023, Wardson was awarded 34 renovation projects and minor works of MHK and 14 variation orders in the total cover of over $18 million.

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

Ling was also implicated in a bank mortgage loan fraud case. He was charged with one count of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance. The case was also scheduled for plea at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow.