Integrity Focus

A then senior sales executive of a groceries supplier, charged by the ICAC, today (May 30) admitted at the District Court that he has made false representations about the orders placed by various clients to induce the supplier to release goods worth totalling over $12 million in nine months and resold them for personal gain.

Mak Ka-wing, 46, former senior sales executive of Dah Chong Hong Limited (DCH), pleaded guilty to 32 counts of fraud, contrary to section 16A of the Theft Ordinance.

Deputy Judge Ms Stephanie Tsui May-har adjourned the case to July 17 for sentence. The defendant was remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department.

The court heard that at the material time, the defendant was a senior sales executive of DCH’s food trading unit which engaged in the supply of groceries. He was responsible for handling groceries orders placed by clients. Upon receiving a request from a client, DCH would issue an invoice for arranging release or delivery of goods to the client.

The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint. Enquiries revealed that in the nine months between August 2020 and April 2021, the defendant had input fictitious orders into the DCH’s computer system and falsely represented that 32 clients had ordered goods from the company. As a result, DCH issued a total of 410 invoices to the clients and arranged goods worth totalling over $12 million to be released.

Enquiries also found that the defendant forged signatures of clients on the receipts. He subsequently resold the goods for personal gain, but he only repaid about $280,000 to DCH.

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

The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Douglas Lau, assisted by ICAC officer William Leung.