A land inspector has been sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for one year, for accepting a $120,000 unauthorised loan for helping a fish-pond operator apply falsely for ex-gratia compensation in a land-resumption exercise.

Man Sun-ming, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of a government servant accepting an advantage without the general or special permission of the Chief Executive at the Fanling Magistracy today.

The court heard that had the claim been approved, the Lands Department would have been deceived into issuing ex-gratia payments totalling $2.1 million.

Lai Hung-kei, 67, the fish-pond operator, also pleaded guilty to one count of offering the bribe to Man. Both were sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for one year.

Lai's wife, Kan Yau-choi, 45, also charged in relation to the scam, pleaded guilty to one count of forgery. The magistrate adjourned sentencing to June 17, pending a community service order report.

In December 2001, the Lands Department commenced a land-resumption programme near the Shenzhen River.

In February 2002, Lai applied for an ex-gratia payment, claiming that he was the operator of five fish ponds affected by the programme.

Finding Lai's application doubtful, the department asked him to provide further proof to support his claim.

Lai subsequently submitted various documents, purportedly issued by a fishmonger, a rice shop and a fish fry company, showing tenancy and rental agreements as well as business transactions.

During two conversations monitored by the ICAC in June 2003, Man had given "advice" to Lai on how to deal with the department in pursuing his claim.

On June 24, 2003, Man went to the fish stall operated by Lai and collected $120,000 cash from him.

The ICAC arrested the defendants on June 27, 2003. Man and Lai admitted the bribery offences while Kan admitted that she forged the documents Lai had submitted to the department.