A Water Supplies officer and a plumber have been jailed for up to 36 months by Tsuen Wan Magistracy for corruption over plumbing installations. Another plumber received a suspended jail term.

Assistant Waterworks Inspector Chau Kam-yun, 50, was jailed 36 months while Chan Kar-leung, 36, received 18 months. Shum Yung-kwai, 57, received an eight-month jail term, suspended for three years.

Chau was today found guilty of five charges of accepting an advantage. He took $9,000 between July 31 and September 18, 2004, from three waterworks contractors as reward for remaining favourably disposed towards the latter, who were involved in plumbing works at Fo Tan, Sheung Shui and Sha Tau Kok.

On June 4, 2004, Chau accepted $3,000 in Macau from a licensed plumber in relation to plumbing installation works at Tai Wai.

Chan was today convicted of one count of offering an advantage while Shum earlier pleaded guilty to a similar offence.

Chan offered $5,000 to Chau on July 31, 2004, in connection with plumbing works at Fo Tan.

On September 18, 2004, Shum offered a moon-cake coupon and $2,000 to Chau in relation to plumbing in Sha Tau Kok.