Macau and Hong Kong corruption watchdog authorities have cooperated in detecting cases where some members of an air-conditioning system supplier from Hong Kong were suspected of offering bribes to the director of the facilities department of an undisclosed Macau gaming company in exchange for contracts.
The case involved HK$22 million (US$2.7 million) in contracts with HK$1.5 million in bribes provided, with all involved being Hong Kong residents, Macau Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) and Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) joint investigation revealed.
All bribes were said to have been handed in the neighbouring SAR, with charges handed against a senior marketing manager who worked in Macau and a then director of the aforesaid supplier.
According to the CCAC, in November 2018, the CCAC received some anonymous reports claiming that, between 2013 and 2018, some members of an air-conditioning system supplier in Hong Kong, by paying bribes to the director of the facilities department of a gaming company in Macau, secured awards of various works procurement and services contracts.
The CCAC subsequently carried out investigations and in February 2019, it received a request for mutual case assistance from the ICAC.
“Due to the fact that the persons and the companies targeted were the same as those revealed in the reports, timely notifications were given on the investigation findings and case progresses through intelligence exchanges,” the corruption watchdog noted.
The investigation unearthed that a Hong Kong resident employed by a gaming company in Macau in 2007, was responsible for the procurement and award of repair and maintenance services, with the supplier concerned in the case awarded various procurement and service contracts, involving a considerably high value.
‘The investigation also reveals that both of the suspects from the air-conditioning system supplier were Hong Kong residents who had transferred the money to the director via bank accounts of Hong Kong […] The relevant individuals allegedly committed crimes prescribed in the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance of Hong Kong,’ the department noted.
Investigations connected to the case are still under way.
