19 jailed for rigging bids for food stalls

Nineteen cooked food stall operators have been jailed from six months to a year for defrauding the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in bidding for stalls at a Tai Po market.

Two defendants, Hung Chau-ming, 47, and Cheung Chi-keung, 48, who had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud, were jailed for 12 months, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said.

Sixteen other co-defendants - Chan Wai-yip, 30, Fung Moon-kwai, 57, Wong Lit, 79, Sin Kam-sing, 64, Choi Kwai-sing, 58, Chan Chun-kim, 61, Lee Chi-ying, 57, Wong Chung-tit, 49, Li Yuk-fai, 54, Wong Tak-hing, 49, Cheung Mui-fong, 53, Fung Moon-kwong, 48, Tang Yiu-kwan, 51, Li Sai-hung, 52, Wong Oi-kwan, 45, and Chan Ping-chiu, 72 - were each sentenced to nine months' jail.

Deputy Magistrate Eric Cheung Kwan-ming said in Fanling Court the scam was premeditated and custodial sentences were required.

All cooked food stall tenants at Tai Po Temporary Market were required to move to the new Tai Po Hui Market in 2004 and an auction was arranged for the stalls on July 21. The operators were given priority to bid.

But the defendants collaborated between June and July, agreeing who should take which stall and not to bid against each other. The department was deceived into thinking there was only one bid for each stall.