Executives bailed ahead of fraud trial

Six senior executives facing bribery and fraud charges involving $5.1 million in relation to Housing Authority building projects will be tried in the District Court.

When the six - four directors, a president and a financial controller from five Housing Authority suppliers - appeared in Eastern Court yesterday, Magistrate Ian Candy adjourned the case to June 25, pending its transfer to the higher court.

Shum Chui, 68, director of Rickson Engineering Limited; Wong Hung-ki, 53, director of Mpower Engineering Limited; Yu Chi-wai, 45, president of ABB (Hong Kong) Limited; Simon Ho Shek-on, 55, director of Watfield Technology Limited and Allied Electric Corporation Limited; Yan Kin-ming, 49, director of Watfield Technology Limited and Allied Electric Corporation Limited; and Ann Wong Tin-sum, 37, financial controller of ABB entered no plea.

They face five fraud charges totalling $3.2 million and two bribery charges totalling $1.9 million, relating to the supply of building services equipment and materials to Housing Authority building projects between May 1999 and January 2001.

The charges were laid by the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday.

Yu and Ann Wong were each granted cash bail of $50,000 while the four other defendants were each granted a cash bail of $200,000.