Three Food & Environmental Hygiene Department staff have been jailed for up to 16 months for bribery in relation to Fu Shan Crematorium services.

Liu Weng-kee, 57, was jailed for 16 months, while Tang Wan-hing, 52, and Leung Ying-ming, 53, were each jailed 15 months.

Deputy Judge Colin Mackintosh said deterrent sentences must be imposed in view of the prolonged period of the offences. He reprimanded the defendants for showing no remorse, adding the acceptance of bribe payments in their capacity as public servants might adversely impact society.

Between July 1997 and March 2004, Liu and Leung conspired together to accept payments from a funeral parlour agent. In return, they ensured that corpses submitted by the agent would be cremated expeditiously, and that oversized coffins would see a smooth cremation.