A government land inspector and a fish pond operator yesterday pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to a land resumption case in the New Territories. The Fanling court heard that Lai Hung-kei, 67, last year sought payment for damages from the Lands Department, saying his five fish ponds had been damaged by land resumption near Shenzhen River. The Independent Commission Against Corruption monitored two conversations last June, between Lai and Man Sun-ming, 47, an inspector with the Lands Department. Man advised Lai on how to pursue his claim, and went to Lai's fish stall last June and received $120,000 in cash from him. They were each sentenced to four months' jail, suspended for one year, by magistrate Anthony Kwok Kai-on. Lai's wife, Kan Yau-choi, 45, pleaded guilty to forgery and was remanded in custody until June 17.
