The arrests follow a fatal fire at the residential complex at the end of last month, which prompted scrutiny into the quality of ongoing renovation projects.
On Tuesday, December 17, ICAC officers detained Tsui Moon‑kum, the current chairman of the owners’ group, and Tang Kwok‑kuen, the former chairman. Both were taken to ICAC headquarters for questioning. The latest operation brings the total number of arrests in the case to 14.
The ICAC established a special task force on November 27 to investigate potential graft regarding the estate’s maintenance contracts, citing significant public interest. According to investigators, the probe uncovered the purchase of substandard scaffolding safety netting that failed to meet fire-retardant standards. The investigation revealed that 2,300 rolls of the netting—covering approximately 75,000 square meters—were sourced from a local supplier at a cost of just HK$54 per roll. The substandard nets were reportedly used to replace protective coverings that had been damaged during a typhoon in July. The volume purchased was sufficient to cover all eight residential blocks of the estate.
The anti-corruption watchdog has carried out a series of raids in recent weeks. On December 1, 12 individuals were arrested in a single day, including engineering consultants, contractors, and scaffolding subcontractors. Before that, on November 28, officers arrested eight suspects, including directors of the project’s consultancy firm and site managers. Searches of offices and residences resulted in the seizure of engineering documents and bank records.
The corruption allegations are set against the backdrop of a controversial HKD$330 million renovation scheme passed by the previous owners’ group in January 2024. The project required the estate’s 1,984 households to contribute between HKD$160,000 and HKD$180,000 each, payable in installments. The high costs triggered an outcry among residents, leading to a special owners’ meeting in September 2024. During that meeting, residents voted overwhelmingly to oust the committee led by Tang—who had served as chairman for over a decade—and elected a new body led by Tsui.
Tang, who signed the original maintenance contracts, had previously told local media that the contractor selection process was conducted through the Urban Renewal Authority’s “Smart Tender” system.
Neither Tang nor Tsui responded to questions from the media upon their release from ICAC headquarters.
