Eight more charged in runway graft case

Eight people, including a former Airport Authority general manager, have been charged by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in a HK$4.3 million bribery case involving subcontractors for the third runway project involving HK$200 million in deals.

Ten people have now be accused of bribery and money laundering in airport work, including ex-general manager Yin Kek-kiong, former principal manager Ricky Lee Wing-fai, Lee's wife, plus directors and managers from three subcontractors and suppliers for the third runway project.

The ICAC's operations department chief investigator, Matthew Chang Chor-ming, said yesterday that investigations had not found any indication that corruption activities have compromised quality or safety of the third runway project. The cases pertained mainly to project approvals and payments, he said.

Still, the commission will organize corruption prevention and integrity training exercises for all 2,800 Airport Authority staff and more than 60 percent of personnel responsible for the runway project.

Both the ICAC and the authority attach "great importance to the case" as it involves a major infrastructure project and public resources, Chang declared.

He said the authority works regularly with the Buildings Department to inspect construction projects and has an independent unit to approve work and materials.

There is no culture of corruption among Airport Authority staff and the graft case involved "personal integrity," he added.

And "the contractor and subcontractors' bribes were not influenced by an external group or syndicate."

Between January 2017 and August 2022 Yin and Lee - engineers on contracts to assist in supervising reclamation and runway works - allegedly accepted bribes from three subcontractors to help them secure works under the runway project.

Yin was promoted to general manager in October 2018, while Lee was made principal manager in May 2022.

Alan Li Kam-on, a director of Goldwave Steel Structure Engineering, and associate Joseph Wat Ki-cheung allegedly conspired to bribe Yin with HK$1 million for assisting GSEL to secure a subcontract for the supply and installation of a temporary steel platform of the main reclamation works - work that amounted to over HK$37 million.

Ng Kai-on and Rob Liu Wai-lun, the proprietor and former project manager of filling materials supply and transportation sucontractor Carol Engineering, allegedly conspired to bribe Lee with HK$2.5 million for assisting CEL to be favored by a contractor and to secure other work under the project worth HK$28 million.

Wong Ching-ng and Wong Bun-hon, operators of sea sand supplier Joint Field Engineering, along with director Wong Yu-hang, allegedly conspired to bribe Lee of HK$800,000 for assisting their firm secure orders of sand for reclamation worth more than HK$140 million.

Lee and his wife, Diana Chan Kok-tan, are alleged to have laundered crime proceeds of about HK$6 million. Lee and Ng were charged with bribery last August.

The 10 defendants, aged between 27 and 65, face a total of 15 charges - three of conspiracy for a public servant to accept bribes, two of conspiracy to bribe a public servant, one of conspiracy to offer bribes to an agent, eight of dealing with crime proceeds and one of conspiracy to steal.

The newly charged eight have been released on ICAC bail. They will appear in Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow and then their cases will be transferred to the District Court for pleas.

The Airport Authority said yesterday the employment of the two managers had been terminated and the subcontractors concerned in the case were no longer involved in work at the airport.

The authority said a comprehensive review concluded all the work involved in the cases complied with statutory and its own requirements, "with no abnormalities or deficiencies identified."

cjames.lee@singtaonewcorp.com