A Chinese Temples Committee member and a construction company director have been convicted of offering $950,000 in bribes over maintenance works at temples and cemeteries.

Wu Wing-kai, 65, and Alan Lau, 44, of Wai Shing Construction Company, were today found guilty at the District Court of one count of offering advantages to an agent.

Deputy Judge Albert Wong adjourned sentencing to October 23, and remanded the defendants in custody.

The court heard that Wai Shing was a contractor for maintenance works for both the Chinese Temples Committee and the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries' Board of Management.

On September 4, 2000, Wu and Lau met with William Tam, then employed by eight charitable bodies as the Executive Secretary of the Trust Funds, Temples & Cemeteries Section of the Home Affairs Bureau, at a hotel in North Point.

The pair discussed with him their plan to set up a factory, Chang Qing Yuen Artwork Manufactory, on the Mainland to supply timber to Chinese Temples Committee contractors.

The timber was then processed by Cheng Jiu (Guangzhou) Building Material Company. Wu and Lau had a financial interest in Chang Qing Yuen and Cheng Jiu.

The court heard Wu handed Tam an envelope containing $100,000 cash, and also offered him cash totalling about $850,000 on various other occasions between September 4, 2000 and March 31, 2002.

The bribes were rewards for Tam concealing the financial interest of Wu in Chang Qing Yuen and Cheng Jiu, as well as showing favour to Wu, Lau, Wai Shing, Chang Qing Yuen, and Cheng Jiu in relation to his principal's business.

Tam, who was also charged in the case, pleaded guilty to one count of accepting an advantage. He was sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment.