Builder and 11 villagers accused of defrauding Lands Department in 'small-house' scam
Graft-buster brings charges of conspiracy and bribery linked to policy dating back to 1972
A developer and 11 indigenous villagers have been accused by the Independent Commission Against Corruption of conspiring to defraud the Lands Department over the construction of "small houses".
The builder, 81-year-old David Li Yam-pui, who runs Full Wealthy Development, and the villagers face a total of seven counts of conspiracy to defraud and two similar alternative charges, the ICAC said. Li also faces a count of conspiracy to offer advantages to an agent.
Li, and the other defendants: Chan Chi-cheong, 51; Wong Cheuk-fan, 49; Wai Chun-kit, 33; Wai Chun-ho, 34; Wan Kwai-lun, 70; Cheng Kwok-wah, 56; Cheng Yu-wang, 54; Cheng Hing, 79; Yau Kwai-chu, 57; Wai Pak-hon, 31; and Ricky Lau Tak-sing, 46, will appear in Eastern Court today after being charged this week.
One of the charges alleges that Li conspired with and offered bribes of up to HK$200,000 to the chairman of the Sha Tin Rural Committee, Mok Kam-kwai, to secure the latter's support for 22 applications to the Lands Department for building licences. Mok has not been charged.
Another charge alleges that Li, Chan, Wong, Wai Chun-kit, Wai Chun-ho and Wan conspired together and with the then secretary of Full Wealthy Development to defraud the department.
They were accused of falsely representing that Chan, Wong, Wai Chun-kit, Wai Chun-ho, Wan and others had never entered into any deals to transfer or dispose of the plots of land for which they were applying to build small houses.