Courts | Ho’s defense ‘gives a little push’ to prosecution

Ho Chio Meng’s lawyer, Leong Weng Pun

In another session of the trial of the former Prosecutor General Ho Chio Meng yesterday, over a dozen witnesses identified by the prosecution were called to testify.

But the moment that marked the day was in fact a “gaffe” by the defense lawyer during his cross-questioning of one of the managers and owners of the companies that provided services to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) as subcontractors for the companies owned by Wong Kuok Wai (allegedly shell companies).

A contract signed in mid-December 2008 was produced by the defense which suggested that there were prior arrangements made between a company owned by Wong and a supplier of fire prevention and fight equipment when the tender results were supposed to be finalized in 2009. This suggests Wong was somehow certain that a particular company would win it.

The “gaffe” gave way to further questioning and gave strength to the theory which the prosecution seeks to prove: that such arrangements made between Wong and the subcontractors were conducted prior to the results of the tenders being finalized and as such, all associated companies collaborated with Wong’s companies.

As previously mentioned, during the day, mostly owners of these service companies testified. The services provided included maintenance of power generators, electricity, telephone and communications, fire prevention, flight as well as travel agency services, computer hardware and software supply.

All witnesses denied personally knowing Ho, stating that all their operations, from the request for quotes to work scheduling and payments, were either conducted with Wong Kuok Wai or, in some cases, with the knowledge or support of Rock Chan (MP staff).

Most of the witnesses denied colluding with Wong Kuok Wai’s companies, as their relationship was simply that of a service provider to a client.

The prosecution also tried to prove that the profits made by Wong’s companies, which were acting as “general contractors”, were in most or all the cases much higher than the 10 to 20 percent that is generally considered to be the market rate.

Indeed, the prosecution revealed calculations that showed dozens of invoices, quotations, and proposals which proved their point that the rate added to the prices given by the subcontractors to do the actual job was generally over 34 percent higher than the industry standard, and in some cases almost doubled.

The prosecution also displayed documents from the MP, which stated that such subcontractors were actually “partners” of the companies to which the works had been originally assigned. The witnesses denied having ever seen such documents, and accused Wong of drawing them up without their consent.

Leong Weng Pun apeared to hint that Wong’s companies would give a single invoice to the MP, containing the bills for several different types of work, while also suggesting that the price increment was a normal procedure from a “middle-company” that “obviously has to make money.”

Chao Siu Fu’s first apperance in court

The wife of the former Prosecutor General, Chao Siu Fu, who is co-accused in relation to allegations involving her husband, Ho Chio Meng, appeared yesterday for the first time at the First Instance Court where she is being trialed. Until now, Chao had failed to attend the trial sessions that started approximately two weeks ago, justifying this absence with her need to provide support to one of her children who was receiving medical care in hospital. Although present at the court session yesterday, Chao chose not to provide any testimony, remaining silent for the entire session.