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.
Under the government's "small-house" policy, which dates back to 1972, some Hongkongers have the right to claim a plot of land in villages in the New Territories in order to build a home. To be eligible, applicants must be male, over 18 years old and descended through the male line from someone resident in one of the recognised villages back in 1898. A village or rural committee representative has to verify that the claimant is a genuine indigenous villager.
The alleged offences took place between January 2008 and January 2011.
A spokesman for the ICAC said the Lands Department had assisted the investigation.