************************************************************
Four company directors and one employer were fined $125,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (May 5), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.
Lo Ka Fai Danny and Lo Kar Man, directors of Lucky Port Holdings Limited trading as Roda Japanese Sino Plaza Restaurant, were charged for offences under section 7A(8) and section 44 of the ordinance. The defendants each pleaded guilty to 13 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period in August 2006 and August 2007. The defendants were fined $6,000 for the first summons and $2,500 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $36,000. The two defendants were fined $72,000 in total.
Chau Kam Kwan and Ching Shun Ha, directors of Win Smart Management Limited, pleaded guilty to offences under section 7(1) and section 44 of the ordinance. The defendants each pleaded guilty to two counts for failing to enroll two employees in MPF schemes as required by the ordinance, and were fined $8,000 and $4,000 for each of the summonses, totalling $12,000. The two defendants were fined $24,000 in total.
De Su Fashion Holdings Company Limited was charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to 15 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for three employees within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between March and July, April and August, and February and June 2007. The defendant was fined $8,000 for the first summons and $1,500 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $29,000.
Meanwhile, the MPFA today also pursued five claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $60,000 on behalf of 33 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the tribunal's hearing today, three of the defendants, Way-Thru (Wharf) Cargo Services Company Limited, Creamy Top International Company Limited and Ever Long Transportation Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $21,316.62, $10,000 and $5,419.14, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Rhoda International Kindergarten and Wah Fai Logistics Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $15,369.5 and $12,678.76, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded at the tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The tribunal ordered the respective defendants to pay $106, $150, $76, $120 and $76 as the costs in respect of the claims.
Ends/Monday, May 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:26
NNNN
