A retired senior police officer with shares in a sauna offered the head of a police Special Duty Squad moon cake and rice dumpling coupons to sweeten their relationship for his business, a court heard yesterday.
Chan Tat-hing, 57, retired as a chief inspector since 1995, denies two counts of offering an advantage to Chief Inspector Cheng Yiu-mo on two occasions between May and August 1999.
Chief Inspector Cheng was heading the Special Duty Squad in Mongkok at the time the alleged incidents occurred. He is now attached to the Narcotics Bureau.
North Kowloon Court heard the pair met in 1998 at a wedding banquet. Chan was a consultant and shareholder of the sauna in Mongkok and Chief Inspector Cheng was attached to Yau Ma Tei district. In 1999, Chief Inspector Cheng was transferred to the Mongkok Special Duty Squad post. The court heard Chan gave him 10 moon cake coupons and one coupon for rice dumplings between May and June.
After receiving the gift, Chief Inspector Cheng immediately reported the matter to his superior as its value was more than $500. Civil servants are required to make declarations for accepting any gift over $500. A report was made to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
On August 19, Chan allegedly gave another 10 mooncake coupons to Chief Inspector Cheng.