A Chinese Temples Committee member and a construction company director have been jailed for two-and-a-half years by the District Court for offering $950,000 in bribes over maintenance works.

Wu Wing-kai, 65, and Alan Lau, 44, of Wai Shing Construction, were sentenced today after being found guilty earlier of offering advantages to an agent, contrary to Section 9(2)(b) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

Deputy Judge Albert Wong said the defendants' serious offence warranted a deterrent jail term. He said as a senior member of the committee, Wu caused a serious breach of trust.

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

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

Wu and Lau discussed with Tam their plan to set up Chang Qing Yuen Artwork Manufactory on the Mainland to supply timber to committee contractors.

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

Before leaving the hotel room, Wu handed Tam an envelope containing $100,000 cash. Lau paid for the dinner and the room.

Wu had also offered Tam cash totalling about $850,000 on various occasions between September 4, 2000 and March 31, 2002.

The bribes were rewards to Tam for 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.

Tam was also charged in the case and was sentenced to 28 months' jail after pleading guilty to one count of accepting an advantage.