Integrity Focus

Following Operation “Blizzard”, the ICAC earlier charged multiple defendants for allegedly offering and accepting bribes in relation to sub-contracts of the Three-Runway System Project (3RS Project) of the Hong Kong International Airport. A then manager of a reclamation works sub-contractor today (November 17) admitted at the District Court that he had offered a total of $200,000 in bribes to a then Principal Manager of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and a works manager of a main contractor. The then AAHK Principal Manager, who pleaded guilty to accepting bribes totalling about $3.3 million from two sub-contractors, is remanded in custody, pending sentence.

Rob Liu Wai-lun, 58, then project manager of Carol Engineering Limited (CEL), pleaded guilty to two charges – one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant and one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to an agent, contrary to sections 4(1)(a) and 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance. Another similar bribery charge against him was left on file at the District Court.

Deputy Judge Ms May Chung Ming-sun adjourned the case to September 7 next year for mention, and granted Liu bail, pending sentence.

At the material time, CEL was a main reclamation works sub-contractor of the 3RS Project, responsible for supplying filling materials and providing transportation services. Ricky Lee Wing-fai, then Principal Manager of the AAHK, was responsible for managing the relevant works contracts. He was authorised to recommend sub-contractors to main contractors.

The court heard that between May and July 2022, upon the instruction of Ng Kai-on, proprietor of CEL, Liu, as its project manager, offered Lee and a works manager of the main reclamation works contractor a bribe of $100,000 each for assisting CEL to carry out the relevant works.

Three co-defendants were earlier charged with multiple counts of bribery and related offences. They were Ng Kai-on, CEL proprietor; and Ricky Lee Wing-fai and Yin Kek-kiong, respectively then Principal Manager and then General Manager of the AAHK.

Ng had earlier indicated to the court that he would plead guilty to his charges and his case was scheduled for September 7 next year for formal plea. The charges alleged that Ng had offered bribes to Lee , Yin and three individuals from the main reclamation works contractor of the 3RS Project in relation to its sub-contracts.

Meanwhile, Lee had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for a public servant to accept advantages and six counts of dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence. He was remanded in custody of the Correctional Services Department, pending sentence.

Lee admitted that he had accepted bribes totalling about $2.5 million from Ng for assisting CEL to secure sub-contracts worth over $110 million in relation to the main reclamation works, as well as accepting $800,000 in bribes from the operators of another sub-contractor for assisting the latter to secure purchase orders worth over $140 million.

Yin will face trial on September 7 next year as he pleaded not guilty to one count of bribery concerning his suspected acceptance of bribes from Ng for CEL’s sub-contracts.

The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Noelle Aileen Chit, assisted by ICAC officer Jessie Fu.

The present corruption case concerned the awarding of works and material supplies contracts, as well as administrative and financial matters. The ICAC enquiries did not reveal any issues involving the quality of works or specifications of materials. The AAHK had conducted a comprehensive review of all relevant documents and records, with no abnormalities and deficiencies identified.