HKU associate professor charged over HK$2.2 million bribery case
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A University of Hong Kong associate professor, an education company director-shareholder, and two relatives of that businessman appeared in Eastern Court on charges tied to alleged bribery and fraud involving IT education projects and service payments. The magistrate adjourned the case to November 17 so the prosecution can prepare documents to transfer it to the District Court, while the defendants were granted bail with travel and witness-contact restrictions.
Key Points
- The four defendants are Wong Ka-wai, 45, an associate professor in HKU's Faculty of Education; Suen Man-ho, 56; Suen's wife Chu Wai-yi, 57; and his nephew Cheung Chun, 26.
- Wong and Suen jointly face nine counts of conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant involving about HK$2.2 million allegedly paid between August 2023 and June 2026.
- Prosecutors allege the payments were inducements or rewards for awarding six IT education procurement orders to Suen's two companies and favoring them in tender exercises.
- The same alleged arrangement also involved securing HKU employment for Chu, Cheung and five other people, according to the charges read in court.
- All four defendants also face two fraud charges over claims that Chu and Cheung had provided services under an agreement, leading HKU to pay HK$60,000 each, or HK$120,000 in total.
Why It Matters
The case is moving toward the District Court, indicating a more substantive next stage in proceedings over how university-funded project procurement and staffing were allegedly handled. For Hong Kong readers, the allegations focus attention on safeguards around public-interest education funding, tendering and service payments at a major university